What I love about being a brand strategist is that no client is the same. Each one brings their own set of unique goals that our team helps them achieve. Though the result seems similar (an elevated brand), there’s actually a lot more that goes on behind the scenes because each of our clients gets a personalized Signature Experience.

Matthew of Matthew Reid Films was a perfect example of this. He came to us wanting to pinpoint his ideal client, hone in his brand personality, form a cohesive brand, and book higher-quality clients through his website.

If you want to see how we transformed Matthew’s attitude about his brand from “embarrassed about my website” to “confident to represent my brand and business” keep reading because we’re going to take you through Matthew Reid Film’s custom Signature Experience.

P.S. If you’re a visual person (I know I am) this video will explain and show you exactly how the Signature Experience process works. It might be handy as you go through this blog post.

Step 1: The brand strategy and preliminary designs

We always start with a brand strategy presentation for our clients to ensure we’re all on the same page. It also drives how we write the copy and design the website. This is a super exciting part of the Signature Experience because this is when our clients get to see their new brand personality, color palette, voice, and logo all come together.

Matthew’s presentation was fun to create because his brand focused on the words intimate, intentional, and timeless. This led us to create a color palette that was warm with a mix of cool tones to create an inviting atmosphere. We also used fonts that were delicate yet bold to express the professional and approachable nature we were going for. But what we loved the most about Matthew’s presentation was his logo.

Matthew’s mission was to have his couples not just re-watch their wedding videos — he wanted them to relive the moment. His process was very precise, thoughtful, and tailored to the couple he was serving. So our design team had the brilliant idea to create a logo that looked like a fingerprint to represent how unique his films are — each one crafted as different as the story they portray.

We all immediately fell in love with this concept because we honestly saw this logo as a reflection of our services as well. Every entrepreneur we work with has their fingerprint they want to leave on the world and we firmly believe templates simply can’t achieve that. And that’s why we’re in the business of custom design and strategy. Matthew was completely on board as well. He said:

“As a creative, the hardest thing to do is trust somebody else with a part of your brand, much less the whole brand! I felt extremely heard from the beginning of working with Carrylove Designs. From the brand presentation to the web design and copy, I had very little feedback because it was so on point with the brand I wanted my business to have. My number one goal was to trust that my website can stand on its own and represent me, and based on the feedback that I’ve received from my couples and fellow wedding professionals, I would say mission accomplished!”

Step 2: Crafting the website copy

It’s no secret that I highly value website copy. Yes! Even as a designer, I emphasize copy because this is how entrepreneurs and small businesses create rapport with their audience, draw in their ideal clients, and move up ranks on search engines. Too many times I see web designers overlook website copy, and frankly, this is where they fail.

(P.S. I made a handy graphic you can check out here if you want to see all the components that make up a successful brand. Spoiler — it’s more than just a pretty logo.)

When our copywriters are writing, they’re keeping these four important questions in mind:

• What will convert?
• What will attract our ideal client?
• What are our target keywords?
• What is our brand personality, what is the message, and are they all clear?

Shaping copy around these key questions is going to be the key to standing out in even the most saturated markets.

Matthew said he chose us based on the fact the Signature Experience had a phase dedicated to website copy. “I wanted a one-stop-shop to handle all of my branding, web design, and copy needs,” Matthew said in our final consultation. “I compared other options and there was so much focus on website design and didn’t include copy. That turned me away.”

Now, we are the first to admit that we don’t always get the branding colors, fonts, logos, copy, and any other brand elements correct the first time. The Signature Experience is a collaborative effort and since we’re peeling back all the layers of a client’s brand and giving it a fresh identity, we want to make sure we’re being thorough and accurate. Some clients love going on the more simple side, but Matthew’s website copy was very much rooted in culture, nostalgia, and passion because these reflect how he films his wedding videos. This required a few back and forths to make sure we were expressing Matthew’s story correctly, but we all felt the moment it all came together. It was incredible, and we felt honored that he trusted us with such a personal part of his brand and we could bring his brand personality to life.

Step 3: Website design

After we write the copy and it’s approved by the client, we move on to website design. For anyone not familiar with our process, you’re probably thinking, Wow, finally! I thought that was the first step! Website design is, of course, important, but we like to say beautiful photos and aesthetic website design bring potential clients to your door, but the copy and website strategy convinces them to walk through your door and step inside to look around.

For Matthew Reid Films, as we mentioned earlier, we created a warm color palette mixed with a few cool tones for a welcoming feel that doesn’t feel too weighed down. We also used minimalistic design for a blend of modernism and flavor. Line-work icons were an important part of his design to showcase personality, but also a “breath of fresh air” look.

During this phase, we also focus on website strategy, meaning we take the audience on a customer journey as they scroll down the page. For Matthew, this meant using easy-to-read sans-serif fonts and calls to action that take the potential clients who were interested in his wedding films to book him for their wedding day. For Matthew, diversity was also an important message to convey, so we included illustrations and handwritten elements throughout the site to reflect his passion for culture, family life, and justice. 

Step 4: SEO strategy and website ranking results

In less than a week from launching his new wedding films brand and website, Matthew’s search position jumped from spot 11 to spot six for a competitive keyword! These are the kinds of results we strive for, and it wouldn’t have happened with just a nice website. Beautiful brand aesthetics paired with intentional website strategy are the cornerstones for success, booking clients effortlessly, and creating a delightful online experience.

And besides that piece of hard data, we had a flood of other people review his website and give him their feedback!

A strategic rebrand is worth a thousand words

Check out the rest of the Matthew Reid Films website by clicking here! And if you’re thinking to yourself, “Ok, this sounds amazing in theory, but how in the world do I apply all this to my own brand?” Look no further than our award-winning Signature Experience. Drop us a note — our team is eager to meet you and see how we can elevate your brand!