Lately on the blog

Resources and inspiration to help you clarify your vision, articulate your message, and elevate your creative brand.


Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Content Marketing, Copywriting Kristen VanderHoek Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Content Marketing, Copywriting Kristen VanderHoek

How to create an audience profile that attracts your ideal clients

An ideal client profile is a concise summary of the kind of person you most want to attract to your business. In this post I share how to clarify your target audience and define what matters to your ideal client in just 3 steps — and there’s a free workbook, too!

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Brand Strategy, Brand Message Kristen VanderHoek Brand Strategy, Brand Message Kristen VanderHoek

The difference between vision, mission, and values (and why you need them)

Your vision, mission and values are three strategic tools that will be essential to helping you make the right strategic choices for your business. They help you to keep your eyes on the prize: the reason you started your business, what you’re really trying to accomplish, and what is most important to you.

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Client Work, Brand Message Kristen VanderHoek Client Work, Brand Message Kristen VanderHoek

A meaningful brand story for a public relations expert

Elevating your brand strategy isn’t always about rebrands and massive shifts or pivots. Often it’s about uncovering, rediscovering, and giving new life to the magic that was already there. My recent Brand Retreat Day with PR expert Tiffany Eurich is a story of going from from uncertain to elevated and the power of creating an inspirational vision for the future.

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Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Design Kristen VanderHoek Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Design Kristen VanderHoek

3 smart ways to prepare for a successful brand refresh

There’s nothing more exciting than starting a rebrand or brand refresh. But before you dive into colour palette inspiration and mood boards, hold up for a hot second. As much as we all want to jump straight to the pretty stuff, there are a few critical things you’ll need to think through and prepare for BEFORE you hire a brand or website designer.

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Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Design Kristen VanderHoek Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Design Kristen VanderHoek

When should you invest in brand strategy?

By investing in brand strategy, you’re bringing in valuable outside perspective and expertise to help you get to where you want to go faster — an experienced partner and advisor who can help you connect your vision and goals for your business to the way you communicate and operate in your day to day. You’ll end up with an infusion of clarity, focus, and inspiration that become rocket fuel for taking action and propelling your business forward.

BUT brand strategy is also a big investment — and it can be hard to know when the time is right to take the leap. Here are a few scenarios where working with a brand strategist could mean big payoff for your business.

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Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Design Kristen VanderHoek Brand Strategy, Brand Message, Design Kristen VanderHoek

What does a brand strategist do?

Brand strategy acts as the bridge between your overall business strategy, the way you deliver your products and services, and your marketing activities. It’s about making sure that there’s a clear, strong, and purposeful connection between your high-level vision and goals for your business with the way you show up, connect, and take action in your day-to-day.

When it comes down to it, a brand strategist should be all about two things: clarity and action.

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Content Marketing, Brand Message, Copywriting Kristen VanderHoek Content Marketing, Brand Message, Copywriting Kristen VanderHoek

5 questions that will improve your content's effectiveness

One of the hardest things about copywriting is the sheer amount of stuff you need to accomplish through your writing. You’re relying on your content for a lot of things!

So today I thought I would go through five questions that copywriters and communications pros ask themselves when they’re creating content. Asking yourself these questions when you sit down to create your own content will make sure that your writing doesn’t just sound good, but that it’s actually helping you achieve your goals, strengthen your brand, and build your relationship with the audience you’re serving.

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Brand Message, Copywriting, Content Marketing Kristen VanderHoek Brand Message, Copywriting, Content Marketing Kristen VanderHoek

How to edit your content with confidence

We all want to publish strong content that delights our readers and convinces them to take action. Having someone else review your drafts can be a helpful way to get a fresh perspective on your content before you publish it and identify any rough spots that could use a little polishing. But what if you don’t have the budget to hire an editor, or the time to have a friend read over your draft? If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to edit your own content, this is for you.

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Brand Message, Copywriting Kristen VanderHoek Brand Message, Copywriting Kristen VanderHoek

5 tricks for making your writing more engaging

There’s nothing worse than staring at a blinking cursor on a blank page with a deadline looming. If sheer force of will could magically convert us into Jane Austens and C.S. Lewises, we’d all be a lot more productive and a lot less self-conscious about the way we write. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

Whether or not writing is an actual job requirement or just something you do when you sit down to respond to an email, learning how to write well is a fundamental skill that can help you to express yourself clearly and communicate better with others. And while becoming a good writer does take time and practice, there are a few things that you can do to improve your writing immediately.

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