Design is communication.

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It’s not just about making things pretty...it’s about making sure your message doesn’t get lost in translation. It’s about conveying a vibe, a presence, a feeling, an emotion.

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To show you what I mean, let me tell you what happened to me this weekend in NYC.

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Like the caffeine addict I am, I was out wandering when the afternoon espresso craving hit hard. That’s when I walked past Blank Street Coffee.

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Never heard of it before (apparently there’s a cult following? okayyyy, I see you), but the moment I saw it, I was like “Ohhhh snap, this looks like my kind of place.”

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So I walk in, order their Daydream Latte (no clue what was in it tbh), and as fate would have it… I’ve been daydreaming about it ever since.

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But here's the thing... was this latte actually the best thing in the world? Or did the branding just trick my brain into thinking it was??

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🤷‍♀️ The world may never know.

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What I do know is that I was drawn in before I ever took a sip.

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The simple menu with vibey names (again, zero descriptions were given lol), the minimalist cups, the tiny curated storefront… I swear the latte hit harder because the aesthetic was so on point.

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And THAT’S what visuals and branding can do for your business.

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Whether it’s your visual identity, your Instagram feed, a flyer, or your storefront...what people see when they first come across you is already telling them a story.

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It’s setting expectations before you’ve said a single word and before they’ve experienced your product or service.

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Design tells people who it’s for and makes people feel something.

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It creates that instant “this is my kinda person” or “this is my kinda place” gut feeling for people who just happened to scroll past your content or wander into your space.

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Let’s talk content for a sec: The colors, fonts, layout choices? They’re all setting a mood so be intentional.

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Your content should mirror how you want people to feel when they work with you.

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And HELLOOO, design shapes what people remember.

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People are busy.

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They’re skimming your words (and honestly, just skimming through life half the time). You want to be able to catch their eye and guide them to what matters (even when they’re only half paying attention).

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Because we DO judge books by their covers. And for good reason. That "cover" is supposed to draw you in. It’s meant to evoke a feeling, set the mood, and influence who picks it up vs. who keeps walking.

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That’s the power of branding and visual identity in a nutshell.

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So puhhhlease don’t treat it as an afterthought or you’ll end up invisible to the exact people you’re trying to attract.

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If you do branding right, you create an experience that has people talking about your offer like it’s the best thing ever…when really, it might just be another latte.

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But to them? It’s the only latte they can’t stop thinking about.

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Until next time,

Marissa

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PS: Have you tuned into my podcast yet? New episodes of Your Brand Is Showing drop every Thursday! 🎧