And just like that friends, it's November! Can you believe how swiftly the time has gone? With the holiday season quickly approaching, it's easy to let our minds wander to elaborate table spreads of seasonal favorites, bursting bellies, family, friends, and holiday vacation! Unfortunately, when owning a business, you don't have the luxury of letting up and checking out. It's important to double down and finish the year strong! The stronger you finish this year, the steadier your stride will be in the New Year. Don't put off a task for tomorrow that can be tackled today!

Over the last few months, I've highlighted the importance of the following:

-Setting a goal to become more productive
-Creating a plan to grow your business
-Getting things done for your business and your clients in a productive way

One major goal I set for myself this year was to clearly define who I am– not just as a business owner, but also as a thought leader, industry influencer, daughter, sister, and friend. As I continue to prioritize growth and set new benchmarks, it's important that everything related to my brand reflect my current priorities and clearly communicate my focus to others.

Recently, I launched a new website, logo, and brand identity, and I couldn't be more proud of the results. I fought hard to strike the right balance of modern flair, visual interest, and user friendliness. I wanted a brand presence that was uncomplicated, exciting, and authentic to all the work I do both as a planner and as a consultant. And while I'm elated that the process is over, here are some tried and true tips to help you along the way should you decide re-branding is right for you!

Define Who You Are

Over my 15 years in this industry, I've gained new skills and insights along the way. I've expanded my core values to include education, innovation, planning, personality, productivity, paperless, profitability, and growth. Once I defined what I stood for, it was important to decipher how I wanted to communicate those values in a way that was easy to understand. I made the crucial decision to separate the Vivid Experiences site and the Angela Proffitt site to ensure each business had an optimal opportunity to connect with its target audience. Vivid Experiences targets individuals looking to execute a flawless event. Angela Proffitt focuses on event professionals committed to growing and developing their business and expanding their level of service.

Build Your Team

Once I decided to create a revised Angela Proffitt from scratch, it was imperative I recruit the right professionals for the job. I solicited experts that understood how passionate I was about consulting and empowering entrepreneurs. Once I defined who I was and what I stood for, I entrusted my team to go for it and make the magic happen. With my Dream Team (thank you Active Color!) focused on the execution portion of my rebrand, it helped me focus on what it is I do best; delivering unique experiences for my brides, and developing other event professionals.

Test the Waters

Creating something new is such an electrifying opportunity! It also comes with a unique set of challenges. Don't be afraid of a little trial and error during this process. I tested several different layouts and color schemes before I settled on ‘The One.' And while it took several attempts until I finally heard the ‘Hallelujah Chorus' belt from above, it was well worth the effort. Don't be afraid to be honest with your team. What don't you think is being communicated on your site clearly? How do you think your users will be challenged by navigation? Do you like the font? Do the visuals tell a cohesive story? Don't be afraid to make changes. It's your brand and your business. Protect it at all costs.

Go For It

Eventually after all of the tweaks and adjustments, you'll just have to trust yourself and take that step forward to launch. It can be intimidating to reveal something new, especially when you have conditioned your audience to expect certain visuals or layouts from you. I, for one, was so nervous to change my logo. After all, it's been part of my identity for almost a decade! But after much back and forth, I knew that my new logo incorporated elements of my business that weren't captured during its initial conception 15 years ago. I've changed. My business has evolved. And even though it still gives me butterflies, I'm thrilled that my new logo better communicates who I am currently and who I aspire to be moving forward.

Follow Up

After you've launched, don't hesitate to ask for feedback from your audience. Ask for thoughts on social media! Sponsor a ‘caption this' contest on Instagram. Solicit user comments for a savings towards a future service. Getting user feedback is critical to assessing what changes are working well, and what changes might require a few tweaks here or there (and trust me, I am always adding to and tweaking my websites!). The best thing about running a technologically competent business and operating in digital spaces is you can make adjustments in real time. If you see something with your new branding that doesn't seem to be getting it just right, change it! Don't feel stuck. After all – if you're going to make the investment of recreating your brand identity, make sure you're tracking how to get the most out of your changes!

In the end, it's never too late or too early to take a brand audit and launch a new chapter, especially with the New Year coming up. Define your business, collaborate with the right experts, test your hunches, launch your work, and have fun! Don't wait until the New Year to implement that new initiative! Take that leap today and start planning!

Do you have any feedback after checking out my new website? Send me a message at connect@AngelaProffitt.com.

Valuable Resources

Webinar

I have been getting a lot of messages asking when my next FREE webinar is. So I invite you to join me on my next upcoming webinar; back by popular demand, this webinar will be an encore with my SEO expert! SIGN UP HERE!

Podcast

Listen to my latest podcast hosted by Timeline Genius on “Six Essential Ways To Take Your Planning Business to the Next Level”. I am honored to have been their first guest as they kick off their new blog. To listen to my podcast, click here.

New Apps

I recently learned about 2 new apps that have changed my life that I want to share with you:

The Canva app is FREE and easily creates beautiful designs and text over a picture; so posting in social media has never been so easy! I want to thank my friend, Chezelle Rodriguez, for introducing me to this app in Cancun at The Wedding Experience.

The Great Suspender has made my computer run SO much faster! If you are anything like me, I sometimes have 50+ tabs open in Google Chrome. This FREE extension automatically suspends unused tabs to free up system resources on your computer. I want to thank my friend, Josh Segall, for telling me about this amazing plug in.

If you want more great resources for APPS, check out my book: Must Have APPS for Entrepreneurs!