On this episode of the Lead With Purpose podcast host, Tze Ching Yeung talks to Danielle Clarke about branding for businesses and personal brands and her creative journey.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS

• As a kid I spent most of my time colouring in and playing with Play-Doh, Lego, and reading. Creativity was a big part of my life. My school was doing a fundraiser and I decided to start a school magazine. I got my friends involved to create puzzles, jokes, colouring pages, we got them photocopied and sold them in the playground for 20p each, and that money went back to the school. But it was at that point that things really started for me using my creativity and collaboration skills to bring people together to solve a problem.
• When people talk about a brand, it’s someone’s gut instinct, initial reaction to hearing a company name, seeing a logo. It’s often a feeling, there’s often associations, these are things brands like Nike have put out into the world for years that we now associate with them. That’s what brand is, it’s way more than a logo, some colours, a strap line. What's the feeling? Are people resonating with you? What do they believe about you and is that true? You can control that to an extent depending on what you say and what you put out into the world, which is why it’s got to be far beyond the visuals.
• Branding starts with strategy. Brand strategy is all about figuring out your why – why is your company going to exist? It has to be something beyond making money, there has to be a reason you’re starting this brand. Is there something in the world that you want to change? Then you develop a brand strategy around that. Why should people buy your product instead of others in the marketplace? If you do that, and get it right, then you’re on to a winner.
• What’s your purpose, your vision, your values? They define your foundation. Look at your product/service, and if it’s actually viable in the market? If there is no competition; worry, because if no one else is doing it perhaps it doesn’t make money. Competition is always a good sign. Once you’ve got your offer/product/service, who’s it for? Not just the individual but the tribes/communities then look at how you attract them. When you do that you’ll start to realise how useful thinking about your brand like that is rather than just focusing on the visuals first.

BEST MOMENTS‘A brand is what people say about you and what you are when you’re not in the room, people’s gut feeling about your brand when they hear your name.’
‘What’s the one thing that no one else is doing that you can attribute yourself to? What makes you unique and different? What are people going to care about?’
‘A lot of decisions are made on assumptions, but until you ask and do research you never really know.’
‘If you’re the founder, and it’s your business, your brand is an extension of you. The company will change as it gets bigger, but the core essence shouldn’t really change.’

ABOUT THE GUESTDanielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.
Website: https://danielleclarkecreative.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative-brand-designer-marketing-consultant/

ABOUT THE HOSTTze Ching started her entrepreneurial journey back in 2007 with the launch of a sustainable clothing and home furnishing ecommerce business. Next, she created a sustainable fashion brand.
In 2019, she launched a social enterprise to help raise awareness about the negative impact of fashion at schools and colleges.
Through the 15-year journey, she learned so much, but easily the most meaningful lesson learned was about the importance of marketing. She now focuses on channelling those insights to help others succeed, through We Disrupt Agency, a business coaching, mentoring and digital marketing company.
Tze Ching’s mission is to create a community of global change makers and to contribute to positive change in both people and planet.

CONTACT DETAILSTze Ching’s website: https://wedisruptagency.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wedisruptagency
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wedisruptagency/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wedisruptagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzechingyeung/

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media