A group branding programme may feel awkward at first. It’s also the fastest way to see what makes your business properly different.
A lone adventurer is, often, a dead adventurer.
Heading into a dungeon with a rusty sword and a vague sense of purpose may seem like a romantic ideal. Hell, it may even sound heroic. But it usually ends in disaster. Without support, you’re likely to encounter a challenge that sheer force of will can’t overcome alone.
That’s exactly what most small business owners do with their branding. You dream it up alone (usually at some ungodly hour at night), and despite how great you are at what you do, you’ll likely second-guess everything when it comes to the brand.
This is where a group comes in. Your party of brave adventurers. It’s an entirely different beast to solo (or even 1-2-1) branding, and it gives you things you can’t get alone.
But ‘Group Branding’ sounds uncomfortable…
Yep. I freely admit that. In fact, for the longest time, I was convinced it couldn’t work as well as a dedicated 1-2-1 session.
It feels inherently awkward to share, especially when your ideas are half-formed. Sharing those personal thoughts about your business is uncomfortable at the best of times, but when they’re not even fully formed, it’s downright discomforting.
Well, if you feel like that, trust me, so does everyone else.
Which, amazingly, puts you all in a shared position, making it so much easier to relate and open up. This makes that discomfort wear off, fast. Seriously, the first group I ran had members opening up about trauma in session two, without any fear of judgement.
This awkwardness is part of what makes these programmes work so well. What you receive in return is worth FAR more than a comfortable session where no one pushes back. Like any great adventuring party, it’s comprised of a balanced group with skills that complement one another. The opinions you get are worthwhile because they aren’t safe or sycophantic.
And only through pushback and challenge can you learn what’s unique about your offer.
What group branding is (and isn’t)
Once you’re past the initial awkwardness, what does a programme like this give you? Like any great branding workshop, this is a guided journey of discovery. It focuses on finding the parts of your brand that you struggle to see from the inside out. You know the adage about not being able to read the label of the jar you’re in? Well, this method gives you four pairs of eyes to read it for you.
Fundamentally, a great group branding programme focuses on the crux of what makes each member’s brand different. The core brand identity: the purpose, vision, values, character, tone of voice, story and presentation that make the brand different from other small businesses that might be selling the same thing.
It’s important to note that this isn’t a logo workshop or a throwaway content session. This focuses on what makes your brand different BEFORE visuals and content come into play. It builds the structures you need to make those things actually land.
This is a guided, collaborative approach to finding what makes your brand genuinely amazing.
What you get from your party
Obviously, the key difference in a group branding programme is the party itself. Using the same adventurer metaphor as before, a balanced party with different strengths and weaknesses always finds more success in the dungeon than a solo hero, or even an unbalanced group. I don’t know if you’ve seen what happens when you send four barbarians into a dungeon together, but it’s bloody messy; they argue over loot, and someone always ends up dead.
No, a group with different skills finds different approaches and complements one another’s abilities. There are some distinct benefits to that:
Instant Feedback
While yes, technically you get feedback from a brand guide, it’s always different when it comes from peers. Real-time feedback from several voices who are not only peers, but could even be part of your market, is invaluable as you explore complex themes like your purpose or vision.
This instant feedback lets you adjust your brand identity before you set anything in stone. During this fluid exchange of ideas, you can see your identity forming and gaining depth as your peers ask questions and make you think differently.
A Support Structure
Your party isn’t just there to challenge you and push your thinking further! They also form a support structure that creates a safe environment to explore the brand’s deeper and darker areas.
They understand struggles and often experience similar ones. In fact, in my first-ever group programme, not only did two of my attendees have remarkably similar backgrounds in science before completely changing direction, but by session two all four were opening up with things they never thought they’d share.
And as scary as that is, it’s where the reality of branding comes from. The desire to fix something you see wrong in the world is powerful, and a support structure helps make it feel less lonely.
New Allies
Staying on the subject of my first group, all four members are working with at least one other member in some capacity. And they’ve all become each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Working so closely together means they truly understand their own brand, AND they’ve seen three others in a way other clients and collaborators rarely see.
This positions them ideally to act as referrers and collaborators in the future. And in my experience, you can never have too many good referrers who know the exact type of client you want.
Confidence through presentation
Pretty much all small business owners struggle with confidence at some point. Especially when it comes to their message and marketing. With a group branding programme, you get ample opportunities to present and defend your ideas, so by the time you’re finished, you’ve had the practice that gives you the confidence to say it proudly in the real world.
Why group branding beats 1-2-1 (for this quest, at least)
So what makes a group branding programme work over a 1-2-1 session? Sure, you get more of a spotlight in a 1-2-1, but there are advantages to a group that are difficult to replicate in a solo session. There is, of course, still a place for 1-2-1 work, but it’s a different tool for a different job.
Firstly, speed and variety of ideas. With three extra heads AND a guide in the room, ideas tend to bounce around faster. A wealth of different experiences of the same issues also means you get more useful perspectives in the moment, rather than long after you’ve moved on.
This is also true because you have shared context. Other business owners just get it (if you’ve ever tried to talk to a friend or family member who has never run a business, you’ll know what I mean). The advice is relevant and doesn’t need lengthy explanations. We’ve all been there, so we can see the problem far better than an outsider.
Now, too many opinions can turn into the blind leading the blind. But that’s where having an expert guide ensures that only the best ideas stick. Real branding knowledge combined with a handful of other business voices gives you the best of both worlds. This starts with a small amount of theory, followed by collaborative creative exercises designed to build creative momentum.
What does the Adventure look like?
The Grand Adventure is a 10-week programme where you find the core of your brand, its hidden secrets, and learn to talk about it confidently. This moves you away from vague ideas about your brand and who you are and into a place where you’re certain. You’ll figure out who you are and why you exist, what the character and tone of your brand is and how to build your story into your message.
By the end, you’re no longer lost and confused. You’re confident.
Most small business owners struggle with brand because they don’t know better. Throw together a quick logo, and it’s done, right? It becomes something to hide behind.
But after looking at your branding properly, it changes how you see things. When you know what makes you unique, you’re ready to be bolder with your brand and message.
And that’s what your ideal clients are waiting for.
It’s also a cost-effective way of getting brand identity work done. Expert guidance usually costs thousands, but working as a group is significantly less expensive.
Who does a group branding programme work best for?
One big thing I teach all my branding clients is to run (screaming, if you must) from the terms ‘anyone and everyone’
The same rules apply here.
Group branding works brilliantly for small business owners who feel their brand is generic or bland. If you feel no passion when talking about your brand (or worse, used to but don’t anymore), this setup reinvigorates your sense of purpose and direction.
If you know you’re different, but struggle to articulate how, this is ideal. You know you have to stand out, but don’t know where to begin.
And if you just want to be a bit braver with your branding. A lot of people want you to play it safe, or not make waves, and that’s confining for small business owners. I don’t believe in that. I want you to see how mighty your brand is, to feel it, believe it, and to fucking show it.
All you need is a crew and a little push.
Oh, and of course, it’s not for you if you can’t get on board with a bit of play and strained fantasy analogies. Stuffy and stale need not apply. I work purely with the rebels, change-makers and underdogs.
If you want more confidence in your branding, here’s what to do
The next party is forming now. To ensure each group works together and delivers the best experience, they are always small and designed to complement one another. Spots are therefore limited to ensure every adventurer gets enough time and attention.
If you’ve been thinking ‘I don’t know who I am anymore’ or ‘I can’t explain how I’m unique’ for a while, this is a sign you need to clarify your brand identity.
Join the waitlist below to show your interest. There’s no commitment until a group forms, and we’ll talk before one does so I can gauge who will complement you best.
No one takes on a dungeon alone, and there’s a spot in the party with your name on it.
All you need to do, is claim it.
