Branding vs Marketing - Where Should You Start with Taylor Shanklin

Taylor Shanklin is THE perfect person to talk to about creative trends, branding, and marketing. As the CEO & Founder of Barlele, a brand strategy and content marketing agency, she helps mission-minded companies and nonprofits create the most interesting and powerful brands possible.

Today, Taylor inspires us to audit our branding and marketing efforts from the ground up. What do you want your vibe to be? What actually matters to your audience? Is your content speaking to their aspirations and motivations? Branding and marketing are not the same thing - and they need to be thought about separately. Let’s dig in.

Episode Partner: This episode is presented by Feathr. Feathr is trusted by nonprofits of all shapes and wing-spans — from the Humane Society and Meals on Wheels to IJM and the American Epilepsy Society, plus over a thousand more! Don’t rely on magic to hit your goals next year. Use Feathr to elevate your digital marketing campaigns and grow impact in 2023.

Join me and Noah Barnett on January 26th for a free webinar, all about creating effective re-engagement campaigns. Click here to register.

In This Episode:

• What you NEED to ask yourself if you’re planning to audit your branding and marketing efforts this year.
• The importance of “dumbing down” your brand positioning statement to a 5-year old’s level, without the jargon.
• How the simple act of refreshing your logo can instantly level up your credibility and professionalism (and newsflash? You don’t need to invest in a 6-figure agency to get something that looks great).
• A behind the scenes look at how Taylor helped Alzheimer’s New Jersey reimagine their social media presence by transforming their message to be more human-centric.
• The incredibly affordable “unlimited graphic design” service Taylor created through her off-shoot brand, Creative Shizzle. Pricing starts at just $99 per month!
• Why we have to have a consistent drumbeat in our branding and marketing in order to play the long game.

Resources & Links

Check out my $27 mini course, Visible Reach In A Week. In 30 minutes, you’ll learn how to create a $3 a day ad campaign that will drive brand awareness with your supporters.

Learn more about Barlele if you’re looking for white glove branding or marketing strategy services and social media management. And check out C

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This year, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, join the conversation: share your favorite nonprofit’s campaign, volunteer for a cause you care about, share an act of kindness, or encourage your audience to do the same.

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