When I first established Wired Wits, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve. I aimed to create a welcoming space for dreamers, side hustlers, and small businesses. The goal is to help them harness the power of AI. I knew my target audience might not understand the technology well. So, I launched a series to explain and demystify AI. On the other hand, using DALL-E I created cool, futuristic and technology focused imagery. Do you see where this is going? Don’t worry, keep reading and I will explain my brand alignment misstep.
Brand Alignment – The Branding Missteps
However, despite my best intentions, I encountered some branding missteps. In my eagerness to showcase the potential of AI, I chose futuristic, cutting-edge imagery that resonated deeply with my own passion for technology. While these designs did a fantastic job of highlighting the power of AI, they didn’t always connect with my target audience—small businesses looking to understand and utilize AI in their operations. My enthusiasm for the subject was evident in every aspect of our branding, from the logo to the themes. However, this approach sometimes missed addressing the practical, everyday applications of AI that are most relevant to our users.
I became so focused on the ‘cool’ factor of AI that I nearly overlooked the importance of making it accessible and relatable.
Brand Alignment – The Impact of Confusion
The repercussions of these branding errors became evident when my sister Amber, a brand expert, began to question me about my target audience and goals. Even though I had frequently discussed Wired Wits with her, she pointed out a clear disconnect between my intentions and what my brand imagery was conveying.
This confusion also manifested in my website analytics. High bounce rates and low session durations indicated that my audience might be feeling lost. A disparity in the number of new versus returning visitors suggested a lack of engagement.
A Moment of Clarity
During one of our weekly family business meetings, Amber helped me clarify my purpose. She redesigned my logo and replaced the futuristic images with ones that depicted business owners in their actual environments. As a result, the updated website opened my eyes—it perfectly aligned with my vision of who the Wired Wits community is.
Lessons Learned
This experience taught me that a brand is multi-dimensional. It encompasses voice, imagery, logo, and colors, and all these elements must work together harmoniously to convey a clear message. Subsequently, any disconnect between the components can lead to losing your audience.
Brand Alignment – Refocusing on the Community
With this newfound clarity, I refocused my approach. The Wired Wits community is now my top priority. Building a supportive ecosystem for collaboration and problem-solving. We strive to understand the challenges entrepreneurs and small businesses face. Finally, foster synergies that lead to growth and success. AI will remain a key tool in our mission, however it won’t be the driver. We will harness it to help our community overcome barriers that may have held us back in the past and achieve our dreams.
Moving Forward with Purpose
Moving forward, every decision I make will be guided by this brand voice and clarity. Any message that doesn’t speak to our target audience, contribute positively to our community, or address your needs and feedback, will be reprioritized or removed from our plans. If you want some insights on building your online presence read our recent article here. In the article we cover topics from your website to social media and how to optimize your online presence through user experience and engagement.
Gratitude and Encouragement
In conclusion, thanks to my incredibly talented sister Amber and Rheanbow Creative, we’ve gained a renewed brand voice and clarity that now guides every decision we make. If you need help finding your brand voice or require an expert to review and provide feedback, please visit Rheanbow Creative to see what Amber can do for you.
Our strategy is clear: serve our community, address their needs, and help them harness AI to break their glass ceilings. Finally, head to the comments below and let us know your best practices or challenges with brand alignment.
