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oday on the blog, I talk to Kelli, a holistic branding and website designer based in the US, who specialises in helping small female business owners nail their first impression in the world of business. 

Kelli discusses the importance of giving a strong first impression in your small business branding and how to get started, as well as share her top tips on how to make your entrepreneurial journey a little bit easier.

Could you tell us a bit about Âme Creatives and what led you to start your business journey?

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and design has been something I always enjoyed. I founded Âme Creatives during a time where I was faced with a decision to either continue playing it safe with the job I had or bet on myself and do what I am truly passionate about.

Âme Creatives is about more than just design. Using strategic designs, I help female entrepreneurs do what they are truly passionate about and make their mark through extraordinary branding.

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“It takes about 50 milliseconds for people to form an opinion about your website.”

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Why do you think it’s so important to give such a strong first impression in branding?

Your brand is similar to a first date. You want to make the right first impression on your first date. So you dress your best and demonstrate the best version of yourself. You want to do the same thing with your brand. 

You want to make a strong first impression because sometimes you won’t get another chance to leave the impression you want for your clients. 

It takes about 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds) for people to form an opinion about your website. If your brand and website are not giving off the right vibe, it will prevent you from connecting with your ideal client and getting the sales you want.

Why do you think it’s so important to optimise your branding in 2022?

A lot of the time, we are ready for the next stage of entrepreneurship and spend a lot of time trying out strategies that don’t work. And it’s not that they aren’t great strategies, but simply that they aren’t quite right for where we’re currently at in our business.

I want to help entrepreneurs focus on where they are right now and implement branding strategies that help them during this stage. Once we focus on those, we can then progress up the ladder.

What are some things you wish you’d known when you first started your business journey?

When I started my business, I wish I had known that entrepreneurship doesn’t look pretty all of the time. It’s so easy to see the good things that entrepreneurship brings – vacations, time off, flexibility, etc.  However, it also is a lot of work, especially when starting.

With entrepreneurship also comes many mistakes that we should embrace just as much as we celebrate the wins. I have learned to celebrate the small milestones just as much as the bigger ones and enjoy the journey of entrepreneurship. 

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“Focus on the things [your audience] need and want and how your services can help with this.”

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If someone was just getting started as an entrepreneur, what advice would you give them?

First, if you are getting started as an entrepreneur, congrats! My biggest suggestion would be to spend this year focusing on your audience. Focus on the things they need and want and how your services can help with this. Within the first six months or even a year, your business will shift as you become clearer on who your ideal client is – and that’s okay! 

What advice would you give to an entrepreneur who wants to brush up on their branding?

I would first take a look at what things are going well with your brand and what things aren’t going so well. Take some time to think about your audience and whether your brand is currently attracting what your audience needs to trust you and make a purchase.

If you feel like you might need some more insight from your audience, market research is a great way to start gathering more details about your audience and their needs. 

Could you tell us more about your holistic and soulful approach to business?

I am passionate about each of my designs being soulful, by infusing my client’s passion and unique story into what I design. This helps them connect with their audience and share something that nobody else in their industry has – their unique story. 

Clients see the biggest results when they tackle their brand using this holistic approach. It provides a cohesive brand that gives its audience the same experience and impression, no matter how they interact with their brand.

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“Clients see the biggest results when they tackle their brand using a holistic approach.”

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What’s been one of your favourite client transformations?

It’s really hard to choose because all of my client transformations are my favorite, but one that stands out would be my client, Ashley. She came to me frustrated that leads couldn’t understand the value of her services enough to purchase from her. 

We worked together on recreating the foundations of her brand and revisited who she is, what she does, and why. From there, we determined her brand messaging and how she could properly communicate with her ideal clients in a way that would resonate with them.

Once we established these foundations, I helped visually attract her audience through a new brand and website that would align with her mission and brand’s goals. Within 30 days of launching, she increased her leads and conversions and felt more confident within her business, especially on sales calls.

How can people find you and get in touch and what support do you offer? 

I love helping to provide strategic branding and web designs for female entrepreneurs who are go-getters and ready to be seen as the expert they are through their branding. 

My 5-Day Free Brand Makeover Challenge is great for those who are unsure of what to do right away in their business to help position themselves as an expert and attract their ideal client. We focus on one thing a day that they can do right away to transform their brand in just a week. 

You can connect with Kelli on Instagram at @amecreatives and find out more about her soulful branding services here. Be sure to visit her website for more information on Kelli’s services and all things branding.

Kelli was an exclusive guest speaker in January in the Blossom membership space. Every month we host up to two guest expert sessions (including a Q&A), as well as group coaching calls, general accountability support and relaxed co-working sessions.

**Email me at hello@ebbflowandgrow.com to find out more about joining the space.**

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