Editor's Note

I am a self-identified and internationally recognized branding skeptic, and that is precisely why I feel qualified to speak about the crucial need to make a good first impression in contemporary freelance society. But… how?

Until recently, I thought branding was a over-hyped buzz word that I could just ignore until I was so famous that my “brand” would speak for itself. That all changed when I finally launched my solo company and had complete control over how I got to represent my work on and offline. I got to take a new critical view of every facet of the raw, uncut diamond that was my new business. What do people see when they click my Google ads? What does a potential client look for above the fold of my website? And, crucially, what is the best way to engage audiences and guide traffic from my social media platforms (which is primarily Instagram tbh)?

It was daunting, and I had to hire a team and enlist the volunteer help of my best and most loyal clients to help me make sense of it all. I had a business coach help me with the fundamental self-discovery necessary to know my mission, vision, and long-term goals. Then I hired a design team to reshape my brand. Then I hired a social media manager to begin sharing content in a strategic and beautiful way that kept our highest goals front and center. Now, finally, I am at the stage where I am finely honing our presence and testing ways to take my first impression from “Ooo neat” to “Wow I need this in my life.”

This week, at Tia’s recommendation and after seeing this mysterious link in a few Instagram profiles that I enjoy, I decided to try out Milkshake. As Mark Twain may or may not have said, “Brevity is the soul of wit,” so I like the concept of giving a new eyeball a few strategic options for where to go when they see you for the first time. And since I’m not exactly the ultimate example of digital polish, Milkshake’s insanely agile and customizable card templates are basically priceless. The setup was painless, which is less than I can say for Google Ads (no offense Google). Now that it’s live in my Instagram bio (go ahead and peek at FFs & mine, I know you want to) I’m going to sit back and wait for curious fingers to tap away...

What are your biggest priorities for a digital first impression? I highly recommend making a list of 3-5 things, making sure those align with your career Mission and Vision, and keeping those accessible so you can remind yourself of them as you continue to refine and grow your online presence.