The world of brands and branding is evolving. 

It’s never been easier to start a business than it is today though building a brand is not the same.

For so long, most newbie entrepreneurs threw as little cash as they could at a logo and donned themselves branded.

Though they still exist, there is a new wave of entrepreneurs getting into the game with their eyes open.

They understand they need an actual brand and are going in search of a branding coach to show them the way.

In this article, you’ll learn how to become a branding coach to meet this growing demand.

What Is A Branding Coach?

Although the term “Branding Coach” might seem pretty self-explanatory, let’s break it down.

A branding coach is a brand-building expert who coaches their clients on the concept, development and management of their brand. 

These brand coaches ultimately create brand leaders who are more prepared to lead their brand to success.

Though many business leaders outsource their branding to creative agencies, more want to understand their brand and take the reins so they feel they have control over their brand’s success. 

Branding Coach vs Brand Strategist

Although brand strategists and branding coaches are similar, they’re not the same.

Brand strategists work with their clients to build brands for them while a branding coach works with their clients to build brands with them. 

Although some brand strategists take the time to provide their clients with relevant knowledge, branding coaches put much more emphasis on that education to ensure their clients are equipped to manage their brand effectively.

The Influence Of Influencers

When I began my entrepreneurial career, Youtube was where you went to for cat videos and influencers were your mates who always encouraged you to have one more drink.

Today, if you want a question answered, chances are there is an influencer with a channel answering that very question.

From Gary Vaynerchuck to Tony Robins and beyond, there are very few business influencers that don’t take the time to highlight the importance of building a brand the right way. 

Educated Branding Clients Are Better Clients

Another advantage to coaching your clients on branding is that they become better clients through the process.

Most client problems in the branding industry happen as a result of a lack of understanding and involvement on the client’s end. 

They don’t know what they want but they’ll know when they see it.  

They want something like Apple or Nike  

They don’t get why they should pay for strategy 

When your clients understand branding and how it influences the markets perception of their business, they know what they need and why they need it.

Ultimately, they become better clients and a breeze to work with. 

Step 1: Gain Branding Industry Experience

There are many professional roles in the world of building professional and strategic brands. 

From copywriting to graphic design to social media management, each of these roles contribute to the growth of a brand and represent a piece of the branding puzzle. 

A branding coach must consider all facets of branding and the more experience they have across the brand building spectrum the better positioned they’ll be to coach from experience.  

If you’re early in your brand-building career, take the time to understand the variety of brand-building roles that exist and throw yourself in to gain that experience.  

Step 2: Master Strategy

At the core of any brand is a plan on how that brand will succeed in the market.  

Any business going to market without such a strategy is destined to fail and this is the overarching reason that business leaders are going in search of a branding coach in the first place.

How the brand looks is not what determines its success. 

Knowing how to develop a strategy for a brand becomes the focus of your coaching efforts.  

Step 3: Develop Your Strategic Framework

Knowing what makes up a strategic brand is only part of the puzzle.

You then need a system of processes to produce strategic plans for the brands you build with clear articulation of what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and the impact it will have on the success of the brand.

 These systems, the clarity in your processes and the transfer of understanding the why behind them will be critical in coaching your clients to a place or real understanding. 

Step 4: Develop Your Coaching System

From your understanding of strategic brand building and your processes to develop them in a systemic nature, you have the tools you need to create brands for your clients.

But creating brands FOR your clients is not what you do as a branding coach.

If your clients come to you looking for a branding coach, they don’t just want “What” they want the “Why” and the “How”.

This can be done through training videos or in-person workshops.

So take the time to define the nature of your knowledge transfer and use it as an opportunity to collaborate.  

Step 5: Define Your Ongoing Services

Once you’ve taken your clients through your process, helped them to develop their brand and transformed them into competent brand leaders, you need to decide how you’ll continue to serve them ongoing. 

Will you meet with them once a quarter, once a month, once a week?

Will you provide execution services for them?

Will you assist them with consultancy or outsourcing?

Remember, educated clients are better clients and transforming them into competent brand leaders builds trust. Make sure you have an ongoing service to keep that relationship going so you can grow your own business and brand.