<h2 id="fb8e43c7-a47c-4261-abf6-448925f14527" data-toc-id="fb8e43c7-a47c-4261-abf6-448925f14527">What is brand?</h2>Most people think branding is logos and fonts.Nah.Branding is the heartbeat of your business.It’s the reason people remember you. Trust you. Buy from you again and again.So if you want to build something that actually sticks—something that becomes a no-brainer choice for your dream clients—you’ve gotta stop thinking like a business……and start thinking like a brand.Let’s break it down—with wisdom from Kris Wood, who seriously gets this stuff.<hr><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="true" autoplay="false" disablekbcontrols="false" enableiframeapi="false" endtime="0" ivloadpolicy="0" loop="false" modestbranding="false" origin="" playlist="" progressbarcolor="white" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rp8KvbU6TtI?color=white" start="0"></iframe></div><h2 id="e2140ff6-f398-4c13-abd5-9e733e16e023" data-toc-id="e2140ff6-f398-4c13-abd5-9e733e16e023">Why Strategy Comes Before Marketing</h2>If you’re diving straight into marketing without a brand strategy?You’re basically setting cash on fire.Kris puts it like this: you need to know your why before you do anything else. That clarity shapes every decision.Think of it as your GPS. Without it, you’re just driving in circles.Your brand strategy should cover:🧭 Purpose – What problem are you solving? 🎯 Audience – Who exactly are you here for? 📍 Positioning – How do you want to be seen? 🗣️ Messaging – What story are you telling?<hr><h2 id="b3f8c867-5218-4c5c-99ab-96631fcd5e28" data-toc-id="b3f8c867-5218-4c5c-99ab-96631fcd5e28">Without Clarity, You’re Just Guessing</h2>Here’s the thing: if you don’t know who you’re helping or what you’re actually saying…How the hell is your audience supposed to get it?Kris uses a fishing analogy—if you don’t know what kind of fish you’re trying to catch, you’ll end up with the wrong bait, in the wrong lake, wasting your time and money.Clarity doesn’t just help with marketing. It helps with team alignment, culture, decision-making—everything.<hr><h2 id="6fd5c556-3dff-4853-ad31-8a47fe955c98" data-toc-id="6fd5c556-3dff-4853-ad31-8a47fe955c98">Planning Is Great. Action Is Better.</h2>Yes, you need a plan. But planning alone doesn’t move the needle.Kris is all about taking action: “Get shit done”—but make sure you’re doing the right shit.Don’t get stuck perfecting your strategy for six months while your idea collects dust. Build while you refine.This is classic <a target="" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.helpwithdigital.com/k2r">Knowledge to Revenue</a> in action:✨ KNOWLEDGE → PLAN → BUILD → LAUNCH → GROWStart small. Start messy. Just start.<hr><h2 id="4958cd4e-35bd-489d-943f-f36c76e3499c" data-toc-id="4958cd4e-35bd-489d-943f-f36c76e3499c">What About Personal Branding?</h2>Your brand isn’t just your business—it’s you.I spoke about how his personal brand often outshines my business. That’s not uncommon, especially for experts, creators, and course folks.People connect with people. Not logos.Your brand is the feeling people get when they interact with you. You can shape that, but ultimately, your audience decides what sticks.And in the online world? That emotional connection is your superpower.<hr><h2 id="bb9ddae5-1061-4136-b9cc-4548cf1fecac" data-toc-id="bb9ddae5-1061-4136-b9cc-4548cf1fecac">Skip Brand Strategy = Burn Cash</h2>This part’s important.When you skip brand strategy and jump into ads, funnels, and promos?You’re throwing money at a wall and praying something sticks.Maybe you get lucky. But more often? You end up with:❌ Crickets ❌ Confused leads ❌ “Why isn’t this working?” vibesMarketing before strategy is just expensive guessing.<hr><h2 id="aa962752-94e1-4658-9a41-c100194a0c0a" data-toc-id="aa962752-94e1-4658-9a41-c100194a0c0a">If You’re Starting From Scratch, Answer These:</h2><ol><li>Why – Why are you doing this?</li><li>What – What do you want to achieve?</li><li>Who – Who do you want to help?</li><li>How – How will you deliver the value?</li><li>Where – Where do your people hang out?</li></ol>These sound simple, but dig deep.Use Kris’s go-to trick: ask yourself why five times to get to the real reason behind what you’re building.<hr><h2 id="1d74da1b-a000-4e40-855d-8e36b3984144" data-toc-id="1d74da1b-a000-4e40-855d-8e36b3984144">Real Recognises Real: Be Authentic</h2>People can smell BS from a mile away.If you’re faking it, your audience will bounce. Fast.But if you’re showing up honestly? Sharing your real motivations?You’ll attract the right people—and repel the wrong ones (which is honestly a blessing).Kris reminds us: if someone doesn’t vibe with your mission, they’re probably not your client anyway.<hr><h2 id="9198fb0b-27f9-4a62-84d4-a915c2f2cb7a" data-toc-id="9198fb0b-27f9-4a62-84d4-a915c2f2cb7a">Know Who You’re Not For</h2>Here’s a lesson every entrepreneur learns the hard way:Trying to please everyone = exhausting.Saying yes to misaligned clients leads to friction, frustration, and flops.So get clear not just on your ideal customer, but also your no thanks list.This lets you focus on the people who get it—and want what you’ve got.<hr><h2 id="39894ea6-e118-4e9c-945c-f06a9289d46d" data-toc-id="39894ea6-e118-4e9c-945c-f06a9289d46d">Positioning Is Your Anchor</h2>Are you premium? Accessible? Bold? Quietly brilliant?Your positioning sets the tone for everything—from your pricing to your copy to your offer design.If your brand doesn’t know how it wants to be perceived, your marketing will always feel a little… off.<hr><h2 id="6170db14-4a75-4f12-860b-6788b9c86b3f" data-toc-id="6170db14-4a75-4f12-860b-6788b9c86b3f">Stop Chasing Followers</h2>This might ruffle feathers, but here we go:✨ Engagement &gt; vanity metricsYou don’t need a huge audience. You need the right people actually paying attention.Kris shares how a client with 20k LinkedIn followers crushes it daily—while their competitor with millions struggles to get a click.Connection wins. Always.<hr><h2 id="8715ec4d-26f4-4854-80a4-a5722783b709" data-toc-id="8715ec4d-26f4-4854-80a4-a5722783b709">Keep Evolving</h2>Your brand isn’t static. It’s alive.So even once you’ve got your strategy in place, keep checking in.✅ Is this still aligned? ✅ Has your audience changed? ✅ Are you still excited about the mission?Make small tweaks as you grow. Brand work isn’t “set it and forget it.”<hr><h2 id="a84b458f-f68a-4532-86f0-77a24dedc394" data-toc-id="a84b458f-f68a-4532-86f0-77a24dedc394">TL;DR: Build a Brand That Hits Different</h2>If you want to go from just another business to a brand that sticks in people’s heads?Start with strategy.✔️ Know your why ✔️ Get clear on who you’re for ✔️ Define your positioning ✔️ Take messy action ✔️ Be real as hellDo that—and you won’t just build a brand. You’ll build a movement.<hr>Found this post but haven’t booked a call yet? You probably came through the side door. You can do that here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.helpwithdigital.com">www.helpwithdigital.com</a>.

Turn your online expertise into an unforgettable brand—strategy, clarity, and connection that sells your courses, memberships, and offers.

Turning Your Online Product Into an Unstoppable Brand

If You’re Starting From Scratch, Answer These:

Articles, resources and information about digital skills from the Help With Digital blog.

Blog | Help with Digital | Developing your digital skills

Learn how to grow and scale your online course business using our online course platform. EzyCourse blog is designed to teach you how to create and sell online courses.

Turning Your Online Product Into an Unstoppable Brand

Turning Your Online Product Into an Unstoppable Brand

Related Posts

I turned the thing Katie had been putting off into a no-brainer

Client Stories: The Secret Sauce You're Missing

How to Launch Your First Online Course: A Step-by-Step Checklist for 2026

How to Schedule a Pre-Recorded Go Live in OneStream

Save 25 Hours a Month With This One Stupid-Simple Content Hack