We hear a lot of talk these days about authenticity - it’s a buzzword that is quickly losing its meaning. But that doesn’t mean the concept is out of date, in fact, it’s more important than ever. So, when it comes to making your design brand authentic, what does it really mean?

On this episode of Wingnut Social, Darla and Natalie speak with Karima Neghmouche, a brand expert who works alongside all kinds of people - designers and otherwise - to help them discover, capture, and communicate a brand that is authentic to who they are. As a designer, that’s of paramount importance because the clients you attract will be attracted to your personal approach as much as they are attracted to your beautiful design work. Listen to hear all of Karima’s advice.

• [5:20] Beyond the buzzword, what does “authenticity” mean?

• Karima’s website - https://karimacreative.com/

• The RESA Edge chat Darla will be doing 

We all know authenticity is a buzzword, a trendy thing people tack onto their slogan or mantra. But behind the buzzword is a principle that is vital for designers to understand and apply. Here is Karima’s definition of authenticity:

Keeping it real and ignoring the noise of what everyone else says you should be doing.

That’s a pretty good definition. But there’s a trick to developing the relationship between branding and authenticity in today’s marketing. Filters and effects change how things are perceived, which is not how your brand may be best represented. Karima has a good perspective on what it takes to keep things authentic. It includes taking pictures of the favorite spaces in your own home. Listen to learn how it works out practically - and to understand why her approach is so helpful.

The authenticity of your interior design brand is what will appeal to your ideal clients - the ones you really want to work with. That’s because something about you and your personal perspective on design work draws them to you. So you want to make sure you’re getting this piece of the branding puzzle right.

Karima’s advice makes it so easy to see how everyday observations about your own life, the kind of things you are drawn to on Pinterest or Instagram, and the previous design work you’ve done will reveal some of the real you that needs to go into communicating an authentic interior design brand.

Don’t miss this episode. Karima digs into logos, websites, naming conventions, images used to represent your brand, and more. She’s also going to share why simplicity in your branding is often a better path than specificity. 

• www.WingnutSocial.com

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