Building a Brand that Actually Connects
There’s a strange illusion in the online business world that if you have the right colours, the perfect logo, and a slick Instagram grid, your brand is set!
That illusion sells. But it doesn’t stick. Because the brands that truly connect (the ones we come back to , recommend, remember) aren’t built on perfection. They’re built on presence, story, and emotional resonance.
So, if you’ve been trying to build a brand that looks good but still feels like something’s missing… this one’s for you.
Let’s talk about building a brand that doesn’t only “perform” well but also one that connects.
Connection Comes Before Conversion
This might go against a lot of traditional marketing advice, but it’s a truth I’ve seen play out again and again… and again. Especially for purpose-led, heart-led, neurodivergent, and values-driven businesses:
People don’t convert because of clever copy or even a clever logo. They convert because they feel seen.
A brand that connects:
Speaks to real human emotions
Is built on shared values, not just services
Creates safety, curiosity, or joy (depending on its intention)
Offers an experience that aligns with the real needs of its audience
It’s less about optics. More about the offering and how it’s delivered.
Crazy… Coming from a designer.
Step One
Start with who you are… not just what you do
Before you choose colours. Before you write a mission statement. Before you even name your business.
Start here:
What drives you?
What lived experience shaped your “why”?
What pisses you off about your industry and what do you want to do differently?
What change are you really trying to create?
People connect with people. Not just offers, not just outcomes. If your brand is just a polished pitch with no personal voice behind it, it’s forgettable. But when your brand is grounded in you, it becomes magnetic.
This doesn’t mean spilling your whole life story. It means leading with your values, showing your humanity, and creating clarity about what matters to you.
Step Two
Understand who you’re talking to
You can’t connect with someone if you don’t know who they are.
But here’s the nuance that gets missed: audience research isn’t about building the “ideal client avatar” with a name like Marcus who likes yoga and oat milk. That’s fine for surface-level targeting (and certainly something I do). But what I also do is dig deeper to create real connection.
What’s keeping Marcus up at night?
What are they afraid to say out loud?
What language do they use to describe their problems (not what you would call it, but how they feel it)?
When you speak to someone (not at them) in the language they already use, you create immediate resonance.
Connection starts with empathy. And empathy starts with listening.
Step Three
Make sure your visuals reflect your values
Here’s where the visuals finally come in. But not as a Christmas decoration like tinsel wrapped round a tree. It’s for expression.
Design isn’t just about making things look good. It’s about making them feel aligned.
Your colour palette, typography, logo, imagery… they’re all signals. They can say:
This is a safe space
This is a luxury experience
This is warm, grounded, and inclusive
This is rebellious, bold, and a bit unconventional
If your brand visuals say one thing but your tone and service say another, your audience feels the mismatch. That disconnect can cause mistrust.
But when everything aligns (visuals, messaging, tone, service delivery) it builds a brand that feels like truth. And people will always connect to that.
Step Four
Infuse your voice with humanity
There’s nothing wrong with being polished. But connect won’t come from polish alone. It comes from personality.
When writing your website, your social captions, or your email newsletters, ask yourself:
Does this sound like me?
Is there a real emotion behind what I’m saying?
Would my “Marcus” feel like I get it when they read this?
Tone of voice matters. Whether your brand is soulful and poetic, cheeky and irreverent, or direct and grounded — BE CONSISTENT! And be intentional about how you want people to feel when they read your words.
Here’s the honest truth: words are a design tool.
How you speak is just as much a part of your brand as how you look.
Step Five
Build trust through consistency
Consistency doesn’t mean every post looks identical or you never evolve. God knows I’ve changed so much over the years.
It does however, mean your values stay visible.
Your tone stays true.
Your visual language stays recognisable.
Your offers make sense within your ecosystem.
Every touchpoint (from your Instagram bio to your invoices) is a chance to build (or break) trust. The brand that connects most deeply are the ones that show up consistently as themselves.
Step Six
Invite, don’t just promote
A brand that connects doesn’t just say “Look at me!”
It says, “Come sit with me. You’re not alone here.”
Ask yourself:
Am I educating, entertaining, or empowering?
Am I inviting my “Marcus” into a shared story?
Am I creating value even when I’m not selling?
Yes, you’re running a business. Yes, you need to market.
But when you lead with generosity, you build a community, not just a client base.
Brands don’t just show us something pretty.
They make us feel something real.
And building that kind of brand doesn’t require a massive budget or a marketing degree. It requires intention. Clarity. And the courage to show up with your real story, values, and voice.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You need to be present.
The most powerful brand you can build is one that reflects the truth of who you are and makes space for others to find themselves in that story too.
Ready to build a brand that connects?
If your brand looks good on paper, but doesn’t quire feel like you… let’s change that. Together, we’ll build a brand that’s not just strategic but soul-deep.
