Mentorship

Whether you’re in the early stages of developing your own brand, have built an established company, or are simply mapping out your dreams of small or big entrepreneurship, you’ll know there are a thousand different items that need to be considered and a lot of moving targets you’ve got to hit simultaneously.

In tandem with money and logistics, you’ve also got to think about the power you require to move things forward. Translation? Who are the right people in your camp that can help drive your vision into reality?

Learning takes a lifetime, and it comes through discovering new things, making mistakes, meeting new people, and asking tons of questions. Fortunately, we’re allowed to pivot, adapt and grow based on our learnings. It’s never too late to learn something new, and it’s never too late to unstick yourself from routines that no longer serve you.

Building a business (or even acclimating to one you’ve built) is like building an airplane while you’re flying. And while there are tons of guides on how to build a successful one, intuition, empathy, and a breadth and depth of knowledge about many different fields of work are all good foundational tools that you can’t necessarily pull from a step-by-step book.

My name is Dani Roche, and I am a self-taught (and then formally trained) graphic designer-turned-entrepreneur. I started young – I was 12 when I began learning the Adobe Creative Suite, and I was 16 when I opened my first business. The decision to start a business wasn’t really a decision at all; moreso, it was a fast-moving progression of a hobby. Because I never wrote a business plan and grew up with the idea that “creativity” or “the arts” would never translate into a successful career, it took many years for me to see myself as someone who could be a business owner. I didn’t think it was possible to possess both left and right brain thinking, and I certainly didn’t think I could do so and succeed.

Because I believe creativity and design is still undervalued in “the business world,” I’ve listed some considerations that might add to your knowledge bank and provide some guidance in hitting one of those perpetually moving targets.

1) A brand identity can’t just be aesthetically pleasing – it also must be strategic

I’m a graphic designer by trade, so I can happily share that a good brand identity is more than just a logo and typefaces. A brand identity is the way that a company visually communicates to an audience; therefore, visual assets are only a small part of a bigger picture. Design is strategic – it’s not just pushing around pixels and having a selection of brand assets that “do the job.” There is a preconceived notion that design (and designers) aren’t worth the investment,  especially in an automated world where new design tools are templated, drag-and-drop, and turnkeyed.

When you’re hiring someone to create a brand identity, look for someone who asks a lot of questions, tries to understand your business capabilities, target market, needs and is forward-looking. A designer with a solid portfolio is a plus, but you should invest in their ideas beyond just images for a better long-game approach.

2) License your typefaces!

Fonts are more than just the default tools that come pre-installed on your laptop. Fonts are crafted by designers, much like how photos are taken by photographers and drawings are created by illustrators! Consider the importance of licensing the fonts you use the same way you would pay to license stock photography (and not just pull them off Google so you can sell your products).

Fonts are spectacular tools and beautiful works of art with many different personalities. The fonts you use to tell your brand story are designed by someone, somewhere, and they should be treated with respect.

3) Accessible and universal design for all should be a standard

If you’re starting a new business or are thinking about refreshing your old one, chances are, building a website is top of mind. Because you might be in the early phase of your planning, consider doing your part by creating an accessible web experience.

The amount of accessibly designed websites is not reflective of the individuals out there living with disabilities – be they hearing or sight impairments or neurological disorders like epilepsy. Tools like colour contrast checkers and screen readers can be used to help your website better reflect the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. If you’re unsure of where to start, check the latter to learn more.

4) Not all “creative” roles can be done by the same person

Your company is rooted in the people part of the story. If you’re a small business owner looking to scale, consider investing in design and branding OR finding a network of freelancers who care to understand what your brand is trying to do or say.

These days, we often hear the term, “jack of all trades, master of none” being thrown around. While there’s nothing wrong with playing in different sandboxes and exploring and learning new tools, the expectation – as a business owner – shouldn’t be to categorize all “creative people” as the same. If you’re running the show, you must identify with how easy it is to be burnt out when you’re doing too many different things at once. Similarly, your team should be able to do the best work when they have focused goals and are committed to something they excel in. For example, someone who is a creative marketing strategist should not be the same person running all social media accounts on a day-to-day basis. Just because these roles are categorized under “marketing” doesn’t mean they possess all-encompassing skills that cover the various disciplines and expertise that fall under marketing.

5) Be flexible, and don’t get stuck

A brand identity should be flexible, and it should grow alongside you. Even the largest and most recognizable companies rebrand. No matter what scale you’re at, if you think your brand needs a refresh, don’t feel tied down by the saying “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Consider what decisions will help you build a more sustainable future.

About the Author:

Dani Roche is a creative director and designer based in Toronto, Canada. A product of the internet age, she combines a multi-disciplinary design background with a drive for digital strategy to create thoughtful and engaging output that spans print, brand identity and holistic marketing campaigns. Her empathy, forward-looking and acute understanding of digital communities has garnered her a spot on the prestigious Forbes Under 30 List (Marketing & Advertising 2019), as well as recognition from Marketing Magazine as a leader in Canadian marketing and by Applied Arts Magazine as a design industry disruptor. Dani has also been profiled internationally by Vogue, Fashionista.com, Coveteur, and Refinery29. She currently owns the design + marketing agency Kastor & Pollux and has worked on projects in the realms of fashion, tech, finance, and lifestyle.

Learn more about Dani at kastorandpollux.com or on Instagram at @daniesque

10 things to consider before starting a business

1. Know the market

Business is all about supply and demand. As passionate as you may be about your project, it’s only going to succeed out in the big wide world if there is legitimate demand for it. Some things you should be considering:

• The current size of the market you’ll be entering
• The potential for growth
• Where the gaps are that you can develop your business idea to meet

Which leads us nicely into point number 2…

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2. Know your competition

The digitization of business means competition has never been fiercer – whatever you’re selling. Your potential customers can compare you to several competitors with a few clicks. So, best to be aware of what you’re up against, right?

Firstly, jump online and search for terms related to your business idea. Look at the top results: what are the businesses offering? What do they have that you don’t, and vice versa? What price points are they offering their products/services at? If you can’t offer something better or cheaper, you may have to rethink your idea.

Secondly, conducting a thorough competitor analysis is crucial. It will allow you to identify gaps in the market where customer demand is not being met – demand you can pivot your business to meet. You’ll also learn best practices to market and sell more effectively; and uncover market trends that can influence your growth strategy moving forward.

Our free competitor analysis tool will help you get a lead on your competition!

3. Know your audience

Arguably one of the most important parts of any business: truly knowing your customer. Their motivations, behaviors and needs should inform every part of your business growth strategy, from pricing to marketing.

Build a profile of your target customer’s age, gender, income and profession (of course, depending on your business, you may have several profiles.) Here are some tips to get you started:

• Write a list of key questions to answer when completing a customer profile. For example, why would a customer be attracted to your business? What challenges are you able to solve for them?
• Carry out some market research – post surveys on social media and invite feedback. You could even go a step further and conduct interviews with potential prospects.
• Browse your competitors’ social media feeds – who are their followers and what conversations are they having in the comments section?

Once your business launches, you can turn to CRM software and analytics data to track your customers’ behavior and add more detail to your customer profiles, such as when they are online most – which will help you increase engagement and ensure your marketing messages are reaching the right people, at the right time.

4. Build your brand

Creating a brand is about influencing how your customers view your business. It starts with the name you choose through to your marketing comms. Think about:

• What is your business’s purpose?
• What is its USP?
• What sets it apart from competitors? Value? Design? Innovation?
• Which features of your business will your target customers be drawn to most?

Once you have these answers nailed down, you can begin to construct a brand tone of voice and design that will best communicate them to customers.

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5. Create a business plan

Next up, the bit that will make everything seem real: writing a business plan. It should include objectives, strategies, goals and projected results for your business and is the best way to stay on track as you grow. It is crucial if you are planning to secure capital from a bank or investors, and will also be important when approaching new hires and potential brand partners.

Done correctly, you will also quickly identify any weaknesses in your business, and where you will need help or upskilling. Our ultimate guide to designing a business plan will ensure you cover all the essentials and can move forward with the most confidence in your idea.

6. Marketing

Your business is only going to be a success if people know about it! Within your business plan should be an outline of your marketing strategy. Some avenues to consider include:

• Social media. For start-ups with a limited marketing budget, SM platforms provide a free way to talk about their brand, build a following and engage with prospects.
• Email marketing. There’s still life in this channel! Create a monthly newsletter with relevant news and offers from your brand – you can entice people to subscribe with discounts. Just don’t overdo it – bombarding people with too many emails is a quick way to lose their custom.
• Brand partnerships. Carefully selected partnerships with larger, established brands will help your business get seen by the right customers. Brainstorm complementary brands you could approach for a mutually beneficial campaign.
• Thought leadership. This is a way to demonstrate your authenticity within an industry. By sharing your expertise on a subject, you can prove your business is one to be trusted. Discover how to become a thought leader, here.

7. Consider the risks

We don’t want to be negative, but it’s an inescapable fact that new businesses face many challenges. In fact, around 20% of start-ups go bust in the first year, whilst 50% don’t make it pass the five-year mark¹.

But there are things you can do to minimize the risks. As the saying goes: by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. At the start of each week, make a list of tasks to be completed, and use your business plan as a touchpoint to ensure you stay aligned with your objectives.

Finding yourself a mentor is a great tactic, too. A successful businessperson who can be on hand to guide you, give advice and insights is invaluable.

8. Keep costs under control

Speaking of risks, one of the leading reasons businesses fail is because they run out of money². To keep cash flowing, remember the key points:

• Draw up a budget and stick to it. Prioritize outgoings – suppliers should always be paid on time.
• Keep setup costs to a minimum. A flashy office may be appealing but until your business is generating a good profit, your spare bedroom will have to do.
• Shop around suppliers. With a little negotiation, you’ll be able to find the best deals, especially if vendors know you are talking to competitors.
• Minimize time wasting. Time is money! Automating processes where possible will save your business lots of money.
• Use freelancers. It may be a while before you can afford to hire permanent staff; in the meantime, make the most of the flexibility of freelancers.

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9. Outsourcing

Even the hardest working, most passionate entrepreneurs can’t do everything themselves. It’s how mistakes are made. Know what your strengths and weaknesses in business are, and outsource the latter to experts. There are also countless software and technology options to automate many of your processes – do your research and delegate.

10. Remember legalities

The less exciting side of starting a business – but important. A brief snapshot of just some of the things you’ll need to consider are:

• Registering your business
• Obtaining insurance
• Patenting ideas where necessary
• Complying with customer data protection laws
• Checking employees’ right to work
• Health and safety

Of course, rules and regulations vary by country so do your research and be thorough.

Next steps…

After launch comes growth. A business growth strategy will help your small business realize its big ambitions. From product diversification to expanding your sales channels, check out our 7 tips to take your business to the next level.

Remember the final mile! As a logistics leader, DHL Express has extensive experience helping start-ups move goods and deliver to customers on time. Speak to us today about how we can help you keep your customer promises.

References

1 - Lending Tree, May 2022

2 - DC Incubator, November 2019

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Time for a truth bomb:

On average, the last mile of a product’s delivery accounts for more than 53% of its total shipping costs³.

Getting lots of individual parcels to a whole neighborhood’s worth of addresses safely (and on time) is a pretty tough task. But now, despite these challenges, even the smallest retailers have got to live up to the high standards set by global marketplaces. Tough ask, right?

Well, that depends. When it comes to last-mile solutions, they are as varied as the deliveries they expedite. So, with that in mind, we've picked out a few options that we think are worth your consideration.  Tap into tech In 2018, DHL ran a successful three-month test of its Parcelcopter in the Bavarian community of Reit im Winkl. The flying technology enables easy shipping to areas with poorly developed infrastructure, or those blocked by natural barriers, such as water and mountains. Users simply inserted their parcel into the allotted Skyport (that’s a dropbox to you and me) to begin automatic shipment.

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Research suggests consumers are open to such technology. According to a McKinsey & Company survey⁴, 60% of respondents said they would use a drone-delivery service today if it were available in their area.

Back on solid ground, DHL’s Logistics Trend Radar forecasts outdoor autonomous vehicles will transform the final mile landscape. “The dream of self-driving vehicles has been decades in the making. Bolstered by rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing, and sensor technologies, it has come even closer to reality in recent years with all modes of highly automated vehicle making an appearance on the market and fully automated vehicles making test debuts.

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”There’s no such thing as being too local"

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Many forward-thinking businesses are already taking a more localized approach. Acting like traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, they shift their stock to smaller regional warehouses, selecting the most popular – and often seasonal – items to hold. The net effect? Shortened last-mile logistics. According to Roy Hughes⁵, EVP Network Operations Europe, DHL Express, several ‘power cities’, such as New York and Beijing, are “facilitating and driving this localization trend,” and should be your focus from the get-go – especially if you ship internationally.

While your business may not yet be able to afford to own warehouses, renting space in several locations is an option. Could this route equip your business to provide same-day delivery for nearby customers? If so, what are you waiting for?

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The forgotten time wasters: traffic and weather delays

Inefficient journey planning can add hidden costs to already expensive services, so it's important to get the best from your route. But what's the answer? Simple – better planning.DHL eCommerce management found that, in some markets, couriers were spending nearly an hour planning their routes manually – only to have them disrupted by weather delays or traffic. In the age of modern technology, that seemed insane.              

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The process has now been improved with geo-map reading to update routes in real time – and it's improved last-mile productivity by between 20 and 40%. Mei Yee Pang⁶,  Head of Innovation at Asia Pacific DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation, highlighted the “importance in enabling a data driven approach in servicing customers.” And the bottom line agrees with her.    

What last-mile innovations does the future hold?

We asked Lee Spratt⁷, CEO of DHL eCommerce Americas, what he believes online retailers need to do to stay ahead. “Being more agile in adjusting to market trends, maintaining an openness towards learning and reinvention, and promoting a newfound flexibility as a baseline for the transport industry,” he said. So, there’s your strategy in just one sentence: keep moving, stay agile, and shift with the tech to make sure you don’t get left behind in the race to your customer’s door. And to understand just what that tech is, be sure to check out DHL’s Logistics Trend Radar. You might just find the golden insight to keep you ahead of your competitors!

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References

1 - SaleCycle, September 2021

2 - Statista, published September 2022

3 - OptimoRoute, May 2022

4 - McKinsey&Co, March 2022

5, 6, 7 - Shortening the last mile: Winning logistics strategies in the race to the urban consumer, DPDHL

If you’re feeling stuck when it comes to growing your small business and reaching more customers, I just want you to know you're not alone.

Every small business goes through their ups and downs and faces their unique challenges, but it's how we respond during those tough times that really matters.

Uncertainty, anxiety and moments of feeling ‘stuck’ can be a great opportunity to take stock of your business and make changes that will help you grow and move out of your current rut.

Here are 5 tips for getting out of your funk when things get hard in the small-business world:

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1. Tell your story, share the ‘why’ behind your business and bring your customers behind-the-scenes.

Having a personal connection is one of the most important factors in building customer loyalty and fostering relationships, so don't be afraid to let your guard down and share some of your personality with the world. It could be the key to success for your small business.The key is authenticity — especially in this day and age.

Some ideas on how you can do this include:

• Sharing the story of why you do what you do on podcasts, social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.), blog posts or other relevant forums.
• Document the behind-the-scenes of a real day in the life of running your business. Your customers will find it relatable and interesting to see you in your element
• Update the “about us” section of your website to include points of connection and to harness the emotions of your readers. Dig deep and share who you are and why you started your business.

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2. Pay attention to current events, relevant themes and ongoing conversations occurring around Canada and the world, and consider how you can align your product or service against them.

Whether it’s going through your Twitter feed before you start the day, listening to daily news recap podcasts in the morning, or having a subscription to a newspaper, it's important for small business owners to keep an ear to the ground. Not only will this help you understand what's happening in your industry and the global market, but it can also help you position your business against them.

For example, if there's a global event like The Olympics happening, consider showcasing some of the products or services that relate to peak performance, training or preparing for such a big event.

Or, if there's an upcoming holiday like Valentine's Day, consider which of your products or services are giftable.

Keep your eyes open and stay ahead of the game — it could mean all the difference for your business.

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3. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new strategies, while doubling down on the ones that are already effective.

If you’re not seeing the growth you're hoping for this year, it might be time to experiment with new marketing and business strategies.

Don’t be afraid to fail forward. Even if a new initiative you put into place doesn’t give you the results you were hoping for, at least you’ll have learned that much more about your business (and what does and doesn't work).

As many businesses — large and small — have invested more in their digital offerings, consider following suit with more online marketing tools, like posting TikTok videos, writing weekly blogs or creating content for your Facebook group.

Or maybe there’s an opportunity to experiment with in-person workshops, partnerships with other local businesses or writing a column in a local newspaper. You will never know what the magic formula is until you begin experimenting. There might be something that massively increases awareness of your business that you haven’t even considered yet.

Start with a brainstorm and don't be afraid to take a risk or three. Your small business will thank you.

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4. Use The Relationships Matrix™  to explore new connections.

Using this matrix, finding leads and exploring partnership opportunities becomes less worrisome and much easier to do.

It’s like looking through a microscope at all of your business growth leads — one where all of your prospects are made visible right in front of you. Here’s a visual of what The Relationships Matrix™ looks like:

You’re simply exploring potential:

• Dream clients or customers — people who are likely to shop with you
• Industry peers — small businesses with complimentary services or adjacent brands who you could cross-promote with
• Strategic partners — large organizations that could endorse your small business

And you’ll consider each of these categories in terms of Past, Present and Future.

• Past - who are people from the past that fit this category?
• Present - who are people that you’re currently connected to that fit this category?
• Future - who is on your ‘dream connection’ list and where do they hang out?

Download a free template to start filling out The Relationships Matrix™, click here.

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5. If you’re still feeling stuck, ask yourself: “When was the last time I had fun with my business?”

Believe it or not, having more fun with your daily tasks can actually help increase productivity and encourage new ideas.

Get silly on your social media, encourage your employees to take a mid-day dance break, and have conversations with customers with the goal of surprising and delighting them.

Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and infuse more fun and play into your workday to try something different — you may be surprised at just how successful you can be by increasing the joy-factor in what you’re already doing.

When your business is stuck or stagnant for too long, it can feel like there’s no way out.

But if we take a step back and assess our current situation objectively, we may find that these tough times are an opportunity for change, to make positive changes, and get on track again.

Be sure to connect with me on Instagram @kelseyreidl and let me know which strategy was the most helpful to you and your business.

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About The Author

After a decade of working with some of Canada’s top food brands, Kelsey is now the founder of Visionary, Inc., where she provides clarity and easy-to-follow frameworks for those who are looking to take an entrepreneurial leap in their own life.

Her signature weekly business coaching mastermind called The Visionary Method™ is a place for motivated, driven & growth-minded individuals to receive expert mentorship while they launch their next side hustle or business.

Kelsey also hosts a Top Podcast on the Canadian Entrepreneurship Charts called Visionary Life. In each episode, she chats with online business owners, brand builders, marketers and entrepreneurs to dissect their success and their wisdom.

Kelsey lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and rescue pup, Abby.

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As small business owners, it can be overwhelming navigating the legal side of your business.

It’s no secret that laying a solid legal foundation might not be at the top of your ‘to do’ list as a small business, given how much you already take on day to day. But that doesn’t mean you can or should ignore it. Understanding what you need to consider at different stages of growth and implementing them as soon as you can will save you money, reduce your long-term risk, and give you the confidence to grow knowing you’re legally protected.

Here are a few things to keep in mind at different stages of growth in your business:

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1. Growing your Team

As you grow, you will likely need a team to grow with you. Hiring support is often the only way you can scale and get the specific expertise to carry out and hit your business objectives and goals.

The first question I ask my clients when they need to hire is, “What kind of support do you actually need?” Do you need a contractor or an employee? To learn about the difference, I wrote an article that defines both and can guide you in this decision. Once you know what kind of worker you need for your business, you’ll need to ensure you have a proper agreement in place that is clear about what the relationship is and clear about the work they’ll be carrying out to help your business grow. Not having the proper agreement, or misclassifying the worker in the first place, can have expensive consequences down the road. It’s best to get this right from the get-go.

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2. Considering Incorporating

The most common question I get as a lawyer is, “Should I incorporate?” And my first response is always, “It depends.”

There are three common legal structures in Canada:

• (1) sole proprietor (you’re going it alone, and you and your business are one and the same)
• (2) partnership (you’ve teamed up with one or more people with the intent to make a profit)
• (3) incorporating a new company, which is a separate and distinct legal entity with its own legal rights and responsibilities

For some small businesses, it’s important to separate themselves legally from their business right away and incorporate a company. This includes instances where they are operating in a particularly risky industry (like food, construction, or fitness) or hiring employees and want to separate their personal liability and assets from that of their business.

For other business owners, incorporation makes sense once their business is growing and bringing in sufficient income such that they are in a financial position to take advantage of certain tax benefits available to corporations. Unfortunately, there is no “magic income number” and the decision to incorporate that flows from a financial reason is best made with the advice from your accountant.

Forming a new company adds an extra layer of complexity to your business, so it’s always a great idea to make this decision after talking to your accountant and lawyer to make sure that the timing is right to support your growth.

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3. Refining Client Processes

No matter what business you’re in, your success is likely dependent on providing excellent customer service. As your business grows, it becomes more important to focus on the organization and refinement of your systems. For example, If you provide 1-to-1 client services, you might want to refine your payment terms or how you deliver those services. If you are in retail, you might want to change your refund and returns processes over time. Refining your client processes and systems is important when you notice issues popping up, but it is especially important when you’re growing and want to limit the amount of resources (time, energy and money) you spend responding to these issues.

I recommend taking some time to review your touchpoints with your customers and ensure your contracts and website clearly set out the expectations of that relationship. This might be refining and tailoring your client contracts or updating your terms of use and policies on your website.  The more we can keep these processes organized and flowing smoothly, the more time you can spend on being proactive, versus reactive in your business. A good starting point is to consider the last issue that popped up in your business: is there a way you could have avoided this with clearer communication? If so, go make that change now. Your future self (and your team!) will thank you for it.

As you grow, get in the habit of checking-in with your customer processes to ensure they are supporting you.

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4. Growing your Business Online

If businesses want to grow these days, having an online presence is vital. Whether that means adding an e-commerce element, growing your email list, or increasing your presence on social media, it’s an important and impactful way to take your business to its next level.

If you are online, or going to be soon, it’s important to understand the legal requirements that come along with that. For example, if you have a website, you are legally required to have a privacy policy that sets out what data you collect from your users, how you collect it (email list sign-ups, cookies, or other tracking tools) and how you use it. Not the most exciting part of your website (#fineprint), but a legal necessity!

If you sell products or services online, your terms of use and FAQ section are a great way to set out your policies about refunds, exchanges, shipping and related disclaimers.Your terms of use are also where you include important clauses to protect your ownership rights over the content you provide on your website, like your blogs or free resources you provide your visitors.

It’s important to not only be aware of what you are legally required to have online to protect your business, but also to ensure these support and reflect your processes too!

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5. Protecting Your Brand

The more you grow, the more important it is to protect your brand and the reputation of your business. You can do this by registering your trademark. A trademark is a combination of letters, words, sounds or designs that identifies your unique business from others in the marketplace (like your name logo!).

The best way to protect your brand is to register it as a trademark in the countries you do business in and as early as you can in your business. This ensures that you are the only one with the legal right to use your trademark and can take legal action against anyone else using your name or logo or who is trying to imitate your business.

On the flipside, if you are in the very early start-up stage, you should always conduct a thorough trademark search of your proposed business name to ensure it’s available and not being used by anyone else. Nothing is worse than having your heart set on a name, investing in design and branding services, only to realize the name is already in use and trademarked.

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your business, registering your trademark is a great idea to ensure that you can confidently scale knowing you’ve protected your brand the best legal way you can.

As business owners it can be so easy to feel overwhelmed and feel like the ‘to-do’ list never ends – usually because it doesn’t! That’s why it is so important to celebrate the wins along the way. No matter how big or how small, we must recognize and be proud of the steps we are taking forward in our business growth journey.

Whether it’s launching that new product, bringing on a team member, or tweaking a clause in your client contract or on your website that you’ve been meaning to get to, treat these like big wins and celebrate them. Even taking the time to read this article and understand the different legal considerations for your business and feeling more confident in the legal steps you might need to take as you grow is worth celebrating.

Get in the habit of looking back and celebrating how far you’ve come — this will serve to fuel your fire to take your business to the next level and beyond.

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About the Author

Jaime Bell is a lawyer and the founder of Wild Coast Law, a business law firm based in British Columbia. She is also the founder of Contracts Market, an e-commerce store that provides legal contract templates for small businesses. Jaime’s mission is to make access to legal less intimidating, more affordable, accessible, and fun. In her spare time, you can find Jaime chasing her dog, Osa, through the forest or up the mountains on Vancouver Island, where she now calls home.

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Have you ever felt the following:

• You feel like your website is “good enough”, but now it doesn't feel like it's reflective of our ever-changing digital world.
• You're looking for a new way to reach your community and build strong relationships with warm leads.
• You're ready to confidently elevate your brand professionally so you can increase your impact and sales.

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My name is Christine Lieu, and I am the expert behind CL Designs and the Brand Party Podcast. My first dip into entrepreneurship and startup culture was inspired by a time of loss in my life, but it had me reflect on how I wanted to live my life to help clients create bold legacies.

Your website is a portal to your magic. You are investing in it (through the domain, hosting, and more) and it should be a platform that returns your investment. I’ve put together a list of my top 5 tips to optimize conversions for your website and some prompts to dive deeper.

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1. Make your design friendly

To create a memorable experience, you’ll want to consider user experience (UX). If it’s difficult to find the information your customers need and difficult to navigate the pages, they will leave and be unlikely to return. Today, we peruse websites mainly through our mobile devices first and laptop/desktops second. Ensure your layout is responsive (catered towards various screen sizes), easy to navigate with a touch of a finger and that you have simple CTA buttons.

As much as they may land on your website to learn more about you and what you have to offer, ensure your messaging is actually more about how it can help them. In order to stand out from your competitors and attract new leads, ensure your design, layout and composition create a cohesive identity that’s also functional and gets the job done quickly. Audit your colour choices, logo usage, styling of photos and graphic elements. To ensure cohesion, make sure you’re using a few font choices to streamline the overall look and feel to make it easy for visitors to read.

If you think about a time you were checking the credibility of a brand, it’s more than likely you’ve searched their website. According to Forrester Research, good UX design can increase your website's conversion rate by up to 400%, while Invision has stated that 88% of online customers are less likely to return after a bad experience. Visitors’ actions are inspired by their perception of design and the overall experience.

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2. Create a low effort, high touch experience

Consider the most integral steps in your customer’s journey. Is there a lot of heavy and manual lifting to be done? If so, consider integrating tools to help with calendar scheduling, automating a questionnaire post-sales calls, or create a contact form directly within your website for a one-click correspondence. In doing the work upfront, you’ll end up creating a high-touch experience for visitors to get what they need in 1 click.

Customers are becoming more and more impatient with so much content at our disposal. If you’re looking to optimize speed and boost your SEO, you can:

• Ensure that your page loads in a matter of seconds to increase your visitor’s chance of staying on longer.
• Speed up your website load time by compressing your images to a smaller size or resolution quality. 72 dpi is the resolution quality needed for anything digital.
• Clean up your media library if you have a lot of video, especially if they’re running natively from your website.
• Embed videos sourced from other platforms
• Integrate newsletter sign-ups with a hyperlinked button
• Share an embedded calendar link through a frame.

3. Remember accessibility always matters

You should always consider the accessibility of your website, firstly to be compassionate to visitors, and secondly to reach an audience that you may be missing out on. When choosing colours, you want to ensure that it’s AODA compliant to boost contrast and legibility for those who may have different visual abilities. It’s said that by the University of Loyola, they’ve seen an 80% increase of brand recognition by the use of colour. Evoke the mood you’re looking to reflect and can use it strategically to emphasize certain actions and elements. Create multiple visual cues whether that’s photo references for added visual support with alt text to stated button actions and visual cues for various elements like arrows to prompt further.

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4. Provide social proof

According to Kinesis, 94% of first impressions are design-related. Of course there are other factors that will impact this figure, but the influence that design has to make that immediate judgment is too large to ignore.

You can add testimonials, reviews, and press features for added credibility to build trust with your community. With the possibility of large areas of text, consider what’s most relevant for visitors coming to your website. If they were to glance through your content, bolding certain parts you want them to focus on will help with the overall design to capture attention.

5. Be direct and clear about choices

The majority of small business websites don’t have enough calls to action (CTAs) on their website. They may not always do the action you advise, but that prompt really does help boost familiarity and encourage action. It’s like dangling the carrot but not giving the treat. You’ve got to share the offer. Minimize the amount of choices to make a clear decision making process for your visitors.

Make sure your buttons are all styled with the same shape and punchy copy. With copy, make sure it’s understandable what you’re expecting the next step to be and that it’s hyperlinked accordingly. With colour choices, you’ll want to choose from your brand palette that is used for emphasis to encourage bright and inspired action. Studies have shown that buttons with red, orange, or green colouring get the highest conversion rates, as long as they’re clearly identified on the page.

6. Humanize your experience

Remember that there’s a human behind the screen! People don’t buy products — they buy the story and solutions you have to offer. Learning more about your intention and purpose will help turn those website creepers to converters.

Put your best foot forward! Incorporate negative white space to ensure a breathable and legible experience. Remember, less is more.

Celebrate creating! Experiment with different ways to optimize opportunities and conversions with your website with a human-centered approach. Delight your potential new leads, current customers, and community with your magic.

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About the Author:

Christine Lieu is the expert behind CL Designs and the Brand Party Podcast. She helps purpose-driven businesses create cohesive branding, web design, and social content creation to increase your impact and sales. Saying no to dull and clunky visuals and yes to consistency, creativity, and efficiency forms the core of her approach. As featured in Top 10 Canada Design and Apple Podcasts’ New + Noteworthy lists, the Brand Party Podcast delivers fun, honest, to-the-point advice that you can implement RIGHT AWAY in your entrepreneurial journey.

Christine has been featured in Yahoo News’ Top 10 graphic designers to watch for in 2021, has had the honour to be nominated for RBC'S Women of Influence Award two years in a row, and earned Digital Publishing Awards for her work on Maclean’s “Bulldog” Election Daily issue, Walmart Live Better​ and CBC Music.

Learn more about Christine at christineldesigns.com or on Instagram at @_clieu or @brandpartypodcast

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Are you thinking of expanding your brand to new territories? As someone who’s done it, I wanted to write about my experience and include the strategies that worked for me, as well as the challenges I faced in the hopes it’ll help you on your journey. Keep in mind that success is not often found in just the execution of these strategies, but in the quality and ability to be consistent in the execution. Simply put, it's not what you’re doing, it’s how you do it.

I originally conceptualized Permanent Vacation as a lifestyle brand in 2016. At that time, the idea of selling products internationally was a very distant thought. My initial focus was to simply create products for my friends and family, but then it grew from there: Toronto, then abroad.

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Sometimes they Choose You

I hired a friend to run social media ads after building a website and Instagram account for the brand. It took weeks of tweaking our approach to get traction, but with each iteration, we began to find and secure our brand identity through the content we were creating. At the time, our target area was Toronto and surrounding cities. Months later, we started running campaigns in every state across the US one by one.

Our budget was small, but it was enough to get interesting insights. We noticed there were particular cities that took to the brand. Brooklyn and Los Angeles responded best, so we decided to focus on those markets. Sometimes a demographic will choose you – and it’s not always an obvious market. For example, through social media advertising A/B testing, we discovered Permanent Vacation performed and sold well in Australia – a valuable insight we did not expect.

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Find Partners on the Ground

It's extremely important to stay strong to the vision of your brand. The ongoing work is to keep an eye on what’s happening in the world. Try to watch for the cultural movements and market shifts to find ways to engage, and to infuse those influences of what you love into your brand as you look to expand into new markets.

If you’re looking to enter a new region, one of the best ways to connect is through strategic partnerships. For us, it often started with a DM over Instagram. Permanent Vacation is connected with content creators and reps in many cities abroad, who are both online and offline ambassadors for the brand. It’s been a great way for us to keep eyes on and ears to the streets.

Our in-house community manager has also been vital to Permanent Vacation’s success. Maintaining a collaborative and positive relationship with ambassadors is a job in itself. Sending new products out and working with creators to get content, as well as their feedback, is an extremely valuable part of our process.

One of the ways we’ve been building brand awareness in other regions is through collaborations. In 2020 we collaborated with a couple who moved to Panama from Toronto and built a boutique hotel for tourists called Catalina’s Hideaway. Together, we decided to give away a free hotel stay and a care package full of Permanent Vacation clothing.

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Last year, we teamed up with Vancouver-based, DJ Felix Cartal. We created a limited clothing drop of hand-dyed hoodies and t-shirts to celebrate the release of his upcoming album, Expensive Sounds For Nice People. These are a few of the many collaborations we’ve done to help grow our brand presence internationally.

We love collaborating with musicians and entrepreneurs especially because they embody the ethos and lifestyle of what Permanent Vacation stands for. We are very discerning with the collaborations we do — it’s never just for the sake of creating brand awareness. Picking the right collaborations cannot be emphasized enough. Always be thinking about what is on-brand for you and your community.

Now that Permanent Vacation has a foothold in new regions, our next course of action will be to travel and experience those regions more and more for ourselves. Planning and executing pop-up shops is a great way to connect and maintain relationships in new markets. It’s also the best way to learn and appreciate the language and culture of that particular demographic. It’s also important to have a great relationship with your shipping company as you grow globally. Learning and navigating through shipping, duties and taxes will be valuable as you look to expand your operations.

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Intellectual Property

Once you have good momentum with your brand growth, it might be worth trademarking in new regions that you’re looking to enter. Although Permanent Vacation became a registered trademark in Canada a couple of years after inception, we did not anticipate the challenges of trademarking outside the Canadian border. As we entered new markets, we found similar trademarks registered — some legitimate and some that were likely trademark trolls. Securing intellectual property abroad has been challenging and expensive, but we are winning battles and slowly securing the necessary markets as we expand. I highly recommend you discuss this topic with your lawyer and advise you to learn as much as possible when you set your sights on going global.

Although the internet has opened up new markets which are now only a click away, the reality is that this has also paved the way for enormous competition. I truly believe the success in growing a brand on a global scale is that there are no shortcuts with respect to the time and effort it takes. Testing new markets, making adjustments, building meaningful relationships with customers and brand ambassadors on the ground, and protecting your intellectual property is a great start.

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About the author

Alex Cronin is the founder of Permanent Vacation Inc. He was born in a small country called the Republic of Moldova and came to Canada as a refugee at the age of 6. He spent 7 years as a songwriter and then another 10 years in sales before creating Permanent Vacation. Alex is a visionary with a plan to build a global lifestyle brand to represent those who share the same values.

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We can’t deny how quickly almost every industry is moving – the internet, the development of technology and production of goods — have all evolved so fast that it’s hard to keep up. Same goes for your brand, product or idea — as a small business owner, you’re acutely aware that you’re often entering or competing in an overloaded market.

However, with the power of brand identity, you can burst through the commotion and start exposing yourself to your prospective customers and building those relationships. Good brand identity is what will set you apart from the amount of new businesses springing up every day — it is what will give your company an undeniably positive perception in the market.

My 17 years of hands-on experience with co-developing an international clothing line, managing recording artists, working on indie projects, and numerous other hats I’ve worn throughout my career, have challenged my creative side and made me realize how branding should always be a crucial element when developing a company.

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As intimidating as the brand identity building process may seem, once you harness the competitive advantage of brand development, it can be a redefining moment for you, your team, and your product. Successful branding is all about connecting the consumer with an emotion.

The very first step into deciphering your brand identity is a series of simple, but important questions:

1. Who are you, exactly? (Product, Artist, Company, Event, Space)‍

What is a detailed description of who you are, or what your brand is? What do you or your product offer when it comes to emotion, entertainment and feelings it evokes?

2. What is your exact demographic?

Figure out your demographic, ideal audience or exact market space for a brand like yours. Easiest way to do this is to find an established brand that operates similarly. Use internet analysis programs if needed to identify their audience.

3. What makes you unique compared to your predecessors or related industry brands?

Everyone is unique, everyone has a story… What separates you from your competitors? What makes your brand interesting?

4. What story or emotion are you trying to tell/convey?

For example… Harley Davidson does not ‘sell’ motorcycles and accessories, they ‘sell’ an experience. What are you really selling?

5. What does the most elevated version of your brand look like?

In your ultimate dreams, what is your biggest vision for your brand? What does that look like exactly?

6. What is your purpose and intentions in the market?

What is the ultimate purpose of your idea/product… How does it add value to the world?

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For the last few years my specialty has been working with artists and small businesses that are still in the development phase or have just recently launched, and are looking to refine what their brand means. If you’ve undergone this process before and are feeling like you’re off track from the goals you had in mind, consider revisiting the fundamental questions above of who/what your brand is.

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The experience of being a dance studio owner (from 2011-2017) allowed me to flow through the trials and tribulations of growing a business myself: “Building a plane while flying it.” We saw a rapid growth in our business because of our efforts with community involvement, merchandise, and events. Understanding your brand’s market is very important because it is what will help you deliver the product in the best way possible.

Once you’ve established the fundamentals of your brand, the work doesn't stop. You still have to keep up with the ever evolving and fast paced industry. Remember to stay true to who you are, but be willing to grow and change with the times to keep your audience engaged.

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Some important questions to ask yourself and your team every quarter to keep things fresh and current are:

1. What does the current market look like, who are your biggest competitors and how does your strategy look alongside theirs?
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2. Is there consistency across all your brand’s platforms when it comes to visuals, overall aesthetic and experience? Is your brand very recognizable to the average viewer?
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3. Do you feel like you are connecting with your audience/consumers enough? What are some more ways to do that? How can you connect with your community more?
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4. Does your current strategy seem genuine and impactful? Does it make you feel passionate about your work?
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5. Who are some industry connections or target demographics that will benefit from the brand’s growth? How can you attain those connections?

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Iterating on your brand identity on a consistent basis will keep your business strategies ahead of your competitors. Having a strong experience associated with your brand will create an emotional attachment between you and your consumers. And just as important, staying consistent and prioritizing the visual brand identity across social media is an absolute must.

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Some easy to use apps that are great to keep the organization of social media posting and content building are:

1. Canva : https://www.canva.com

To create quick, easy to use graphics and designs for your brand.

2. UNUM : https://www.unum.la

Design, schedule and plan all your posts weeks ahead with this app.

3. Unfold : https://unfold.com

A toolkit app for designing (Instagram) stories and more engaging posts.

4. Monday : https://monday.com

For keeping the team and yourself organized and on top of daily scheduling/communications.

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About the Author

David Forteau is a Toronto-based entrepreneur, Artist, Motivational Speaker and founder of Tiny Loft Creative Studios. He has spent over a decade working with government programs and non-profits to motivate and empower disenfranchised youths and to give back to the community that he spent his whole life in. His path lead him into working with small businesses, which he believes are the heart beat of the community.

Being an underdog himself, it was natural for David to focus his expertise to help those that could benefit from what he as learnt along the way. He helps small businesses take a closer look at what makes them special and how they can adapt to this fast-paced industry by staying ahead of the curve with a powerful brand story and the tools to help consumers remember them.

David has always had a passion for fashion, which led him co-developing streetwear brand Nozo and Kollar Clothing alongside his other endeavours. David, through his personal work and Tiny Loft Studios, has created content for Canada Goose, Nike, OVO, North Face, Resolve CBD, HP Canada, Miller Genuine Draft, Lids, Kings of Past, and more. He has produced and has been featured on networks like The Ellen Show, Much Music Awards, Hypebeast, Complex, and World of Dance.

Learn more about David on Instagram at @davidforteau.

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