Jul 12, 2026 | Book Marketing, Marketing
Margaret Marcuson didn’t come to me looking for a publishing deal. She came to me to talk through marketing options for a book she planned to self-publish.
About five minutes into our conversation, I knew we needed to think bigger.
Margaret has spent decades coaching pastors and church leaders through the hard parts of ministry — the burnout, the blurry boundaries, the impossible pressure of shepherding a fractured flock in a politically charged world. She’s not some fly-by-night influencer with a hot take and a big TikTok following. She has decades of experience, two previously published books, a loyal email list with open rates most marketers would sell a kidney for, and a client roster that spans more than 20 denominations across the United States and Canada.
She had everything a traditional publisher looks for. She just didn’t know it.
Seeing the bigger picture
With Margaret’s permission, I reached out to a couple of literary agents in the Christian market to reality-check what I was seeing. They confirmed it: Margaret had the credentials, the track record, and the numbers to support a traditional deal. The best path forward for her niche, they agreed, was to go directly to an academic publisher rather than pursue a traditional trade route through an agent.
So that’s what we did. We worked on her proposal together — not to puff it up, but to make sure it clearly communicated the relevance of her work in the current context. Because the timing couldn’t be more urgent. Pastoral burnout was already a crisis before 2020. After COVID, it got significantly worse. Add to that the pressure many pastors feel to publicly address — or actively resist — the rise of Christian nationalism, and you have a profession in genuine distress. Margaret’s new book, Sustainable Ministry: How to Lead and When to Nap (Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, July 2026) provides a solution.
Sustainable Ministry speaks directly to what so many pastoral leaders are feeling right now: that ministry has never felt harder, that the old playbook isn’t working, and that the weight of it all is crushing them. The book isn’t about technique or strategy. It helps pastors show up more fully for their congregations by first tending to themselves. For leaders who feel like they’re failing at something they were called to do, it’s the book that tells them the truth and gives them a way forward.
Margaret’s offer came after just a few months of queries. And her publisher — T&T Clark — is a perfect match. The Bloomsbury imprint goes back to 1821 and has a reputation for world-class theological scholarship.
What Margaret actually hired me to do
Once the deal was in place, Margaret brought me on to support the book’s marketing and launch, which needed to align with her values and style.
Margaret didn’t want a launch team. She didn’t want a coordinated social media blitz or a 30-day countdown campaign. She’s been around long enough to know that real revenue from a book doesn’t come from book sales. It comes from the doors the book opens. And major ad campaigns and social blitzes don’t usually yield speaking invitations, coaching inquiries, denominational partnerships, or deepen seminary relationships.
And at this point in her career, she’s less focused on revenue than on impact. She wrote the book to save good pastors from burnout so they can continue discipling followers of Christ. The legacy she is building is amplified through those served by the pastors who read her book and live out the advice it offers.
So we built a strategy around what Margaret is actually good at and what her audience actually needs — not around what marketing playbooks say you’re supposed to do.
The strategy we built
We focused on three lanes.
Guest articles. Margaret loves to write, and she has relationships with editors at publications her ideal readers respect. We leaned into that. A bylined article in the right journal does more for a pastor considering her book than a week of Instagram posts.
Podcast interviews. Podcast listeners buy books. Agents and publishers know this. But there’s another reason podcasts made sense specifically for Margaret’s audience: pastors dealing with burnout don’t want to be seen asking for help. They’re not going to show up to a public webinar or join a Facebook group where their congregants might notice. A podcast is private. They can listen in the car, on a walk, wherever. It meets them where they are without making them feel exposed. Margaret also created a playlist of her interviews, a convenience for her (easy to find episodes to share in her newsletter and with hosts she pitches) and for those who want to know more about her and the book.
Speaking and denominational outreach. Margaret has deep roots in theological training programs and denominational associations. A speaking tour is in the works. These are the rooms where her book will get recommended from the stage — which is worth more than any ad spend.
Early feedback from Margaret’s community
You can try your best to engineer an engaged community, but your success is most evident when it comes time to mobilize your members. Here’s a short list of the responses Margaret has gotten from readers in various denominations since Sustainable Ministry launched:
“I’m soaking up every word of your new book. You know how someone says after a sermon in the receiving line: ‘How did you know to say exactly what I needed to hear?’ Well, that’s how reading this book has been for me. I also know the answer to this question has as much to do with the content as it does my being in a place to take it all in.” — Nathan Detering (Unitarian Universalist)
“Working on chapter 3! Finding encouragement to do the things that were already there to be done.” — Chad Parmalee (United Methodist)
“I really appreciate that you recommended reading a chapter a day sitting with the questions. Normally I would have blasted through the book in one sitting. But this challenge is getting me to actually engage with the material and do the work on myself.” — Tom Albinson (Episcopal)
“I’m reading the book. It’s you, and you are good. I enjoy receiving your newsletter, and this is like a whole packet of them on a specific topic: how to be in ministry in the 21st century and stay in love with it. Thanks for writing for those of us who are trying to do this pastoring thing. It’s a help!” — Zach Bay (Baptist)
The real lesson from Margaret’s book launch
Here’s what I want you to take away from Margaret’s story, because it matters regardless of whether you’re a pastor or a product seller or anything in between:
Margaret’s advice for pastors and ministry leaders in her book, Sustainable Ministry, is also great advice for authors who want to connect with their readers.
Margaret doesn’t have a massive social media presence.
She’s barely active on most platforms. Her email list has about 1,200 subscribers — not 12,000 or 120,000. By the metrics most online marketing “experts” would use to evaluate her, she shouldn’t be able to pull off a successful book launch with a prestigious academic publisher.
But she has something that follower counts can’t buy: she knows her people.
She knows that pastors need permission to rest. She knows they carry guilt about their own limits. She knows they’re often isolated in their struggle because their role requires them to project strength. And she has spent her entire career showing up for them in ways that are credible, specific, and genuinely useful. Her people are more than a marketing channel to her. They are a community.
And that community is why her newsletter open rates sit between 40 and 50 percent. It’s why subscribers forward her emails to colleagues and include them in church newsletters. It’s why clients come back to her year after year and why she nearly earned out her advance in preorders alone.
Marketing at its core is driven by relationships. Not algorithms. Not funnels. Not follower counts. Relationships.
Margaret is proof that when you spend years genuinely investing in the people you serve, the marketing part becomes a matter of showing up and letting what’s real speak for itself.
That’s the kind of strategy I love to build. And those are the clients I love to work with.
Interested in Margaret’s book? Get it here from the publisher or order it from Amazon.
And if Margaret’s story sounds familiar — the part about having spent years building something real and not quite knowing how to translate that into a marketing strategy that fits — I’d love to talk.
I work with people who have done the work, know their audience, and are ready to grow in a way that feels true to who they are. Reach out here and let’s figure out what that looks like for you.
Feb 16, 2025 | Marketing, Online Business
When most business owners think about rebranding, they imagine going dark for months while they overhaul everything behind the scenes. But what if you could evolve your brand gradually, testing and refining as you go, without disrupting your business?
That’s exactly what I’ve done in 2025 — rebranding in real time, evolving the Tonya Kubo visual identity right in front of my audience. And I’m sharing my process so you can see how to do it, too.
The Case for Slow and Strategic Change to Visual Identity
Before discussing the evolution of a brand, it’s important to get clear on what “brand” does and does not mean. Marketing expert Seth Godin says:
A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.
While Seth — and most other marketing professionals — will tell you design is not a brand, the visual identity of a company is what summarizes a consumer’s expectations, relationships, and stories of the organization’s value.
With that in mind, it’s clear specific brand elements — logos, colors, fonts, etc. — are less important than messaging, positioning and behavior. And yet, so many entrepreneurs will spend more time choosing logos, colors and fonts than they will on company values and service delivery.
A Rebrand Doesn’t Have to be an All-or-Nothing Event
When you hear the word rebrand, you might imagine a complete website overhaul and a big dramatic reveal. But the approach of a big splash and sudden switch carries significant risks:
- Customer Confusion — A sudden shift can make your audience wonder if they’re in the right place
- Operational Strain — Updating everything at once is a huge lift, especially if you’re still actively running your business
- Missed Opportunities for Feedback — A slow rollout allows you to test, tweak, and refine as you go
When I initially launched the Tonya Kubo brand, I had the luxury of time and resources: $10,000 for branding and website design, $2,500 for copywriting, $500 for brand assets, $2,000 for brand photography, etc. I could build everything in private before making a grand reveal.
Today, as a working service provider and content creator, that approach isn’t feasible. I can’t take my digital footprint offline or invest $15,000 all at once. Instead, I chose to evolve my brand gradually much in the way Kit (formerly known as ConvertKit) did in 2024, making intentional changes while keeping my business running smoothly.
Rebranding in Public: A Phased Approach
Before initiating the evolution of the Tonya Kubo brand, I needed to first map out the project both in terms of dates and deliverables. In rebranding, some businesses will update their ideal client avatar, offer stack and pricing, along with visual identity, messaging and positioning.
In my case, my ideal client avatar, offers and prices have evolved consistently over the years. It was my visual identity and messaging that lagged behind. With that in mind, I took a phased approach with the Tonya Kubo brand update.
- Phase I: Define Your Brand Foundation — 1 month
- As a solopreneur, this phase was fast because I didn’t have to seek buy-in from anyone other than myself and current clients. Larger organizations with multiple decision makers may require 6 months to a year for this phase.
- Phase 2: Visual Identity Updates — 3 months
- Outsourcing the design work meant the availability of hired help had to be accommodated in the process. That naturally extends the timeline.
- Phase 3: Messaging & Positioning Adjustments — 3 months
- Like Phase 2, messaging and positioning adjustments take time because I’ve hired service providers who have their own busy schedules.
- Phase 4: Deep Structural Changes — 2 months
- By the time we initiate redesigning the website, so much will already be in place that it should only take the amount of time required to go through the design and approval process.
- Phase 5: Final Touches — 12 months
- Once everything is in place, little things are bound to emerge that require updates and adjustments. This is a natural part of the rebranding process for any organization. However, larger organizations may need up to three years for this phase because of size and scope.
The Team Behind the Rebrand
Throughout this article, I mention the service providers who are assisting with various aspects of the project. Everyone is listed here, so that you can check them out if you’re in need of similar services:
Phase 1: Define Your Brand Foundation
The Concept: Before making any changes, you need clarity on what’s changing and why.
My Approach: In my case, core elements like values and mission haven’t changed since 2015. So this phase of my rebrand is one I could handle independently. I didn’t need outside help to figure out what I value, or my brand’s purpose, mission and vision.
Brand Values:
- Love
- Connection
- Curiosity
- Stewardship
- Sustainability
Brand Purpose:
- We believe online platforms can be a force for good, fostering meaningful connection and belonging over division.
Brand Vision:
- Everyone has a place online where they feel they belong, can show up with love and authenticity, and help their communities thrive.
Brand Mission:
- To lead the way in transforming online platforms into a space of meaningful connection through innovative, ethical, and sustainable online community design, development, and growth.
What has changed is how I approach my work and my own needs.
Early-onset glaucoma has left me with a sizable blind spot in my left eye. Abraham Lincoln, the primary font I have loved for its authority and elegance, is no longer easy to read. And the color palette I’ve used for the past decade is now hard on my eyes. If I have a hard time visually with these fonts and colors, the experience for individuals with low-vision, visual processing challenges, and color blindness is guaranteed to be worse.
4 Steps to Define Your Brand Foundation
- Audit your current brand elements
- Identify what’s staying vs changing
- Set a realistic timeline
- Document your decisions
If you’re struggling with auditing your own brand, consider these questions:
- What elements of your brand still serve you well?
- What needs to evolve to match your current business reality?
The new version of the Tonya Kubo brand (left) carries forward the sharp edges and classic authority of the original brand (right) with a modern edge.
Phase 2: Visual Identity Updates
The Concept: Start with small, visible changes that signal evolution without causing confusion.
My Approach: In my case, changing the logo, fonts and colors wasn’t a choice. I needed greater visual accessibility for myself and those who encounter me online. While I have no shortage of strong opinions about brand visual identity, I’m no designer.
For this phase of the Tonya Kubo rebrand, I enlisted the help of digital marketing strategist Deanna Seymour. Deanna, founder of The Playhouse (affiliate link), is among the few designers who has instantly understood the “cultured pearls and razor blades” nature of my brand identity. I chose Deanna because I wanted a fresh look that didn’t require months of custom work. She was willing to take the Tonya Kubo brand from 1.0 to 2.0 using Canva elements that would be easy to instantly apply without looking bland. Want Deanna’s take on the rebrand? She wrote an entire article on the topic in her newsletter.
Both logos align with the Tonya Kubo brand identity but the new logo (top) is much easier to read in Atkinson Hyperlegible compared to the former logo in Abraham Lincoln.
Font Selection
Before I ever approached Deanna to help me, I knew that visual accessibility was non-negotiable when it came to refreshing my brand. Though I suggested more than a handful of fonts that fit my requirements, Deanna was quick to embrace Atkinson Hyperlegible font for my logo, heading and body copy. Developed by the Braille Institute, it’s a highly readable typeface designed for maximum legibility and accessibility, particularly for individuals with visual impairments.
My work is all about helping people cut through the noise, focus on what matters, and make better decisions — whether that’s in community management, marketing or business development. This font’s design philosophy — removing confusion, enhancing readability, and prioritizing human connection — mirrors exactly what I strive to do in my business. Deanna’s take:
“You have so much experience and knowledge, let’s not distract from it. A simple font and bold colors will enhance the value of what you say and leave no room for confusion.”
Logo Selection
For my primary logo, I went with my first and last names in lowercase, separated by a vertical bar. This helps the logo to stand out from heading and body copy text, which use traditional “camel case” capitalization. My initials, separated by a vertical bar and enclosed in a solid box, comprise the secondary logo (also known as a wordmark or favicon).
The “tk” in the secondary logo is also a nod to my newsroom days. TK is an editing mark that is equivalent to leaving a blank or brackets in the text. Though we use TK, it stands for “to come” because editorial marks are often misspelled intentionally to avoid confusion with final copy.
Color Palette
The new brand color palette has been the biggest adjustment for both my audience and me. Going from deep, highly saturated carmine, purple, cyan, and black to what feels like a lighter, fresher, and more dynamic mix of blues, pinks, and teals was a bold shift. But the expanded color palette is necessary to support the growth and evolution of my business.
Viewed together, you can see how much easier the updated color palette (top) is on the eyes compared to the prior brand colors.
A Look Back: The Old Brand Colors
My previous brand centered around #E72A4C (carmine red), black, and white — a high-contrast, bold combination that conveyed strength, confidence, and authority. It was clean, striking, and designed for a business model that revolved around service-based work and speaking engagements.
At the time, this made sense. I was a consultant and workshop speaker, and my brand needed to communicate expertise, credibility, and clarity. The sharp angles and structured elements reinforced that positioning — direct, professional, and to the point.
Over the years, my business has expanded beyond a single revenue stream. I still work with clients, but now my brand also encompasses:
- Digital products and frameworks that help people DIY their community strategy
- Courses and workshops that make my expertise more scalable
- A book in the works, which requires a unique-but-connected identity
- An upcoming podcast, adding another dimension to my brand presence
The New Palette: More Versatility, More Connection
Instead of relying on just one signature color, my updated brand palette introduces a wider, more nuanced range:
- Neutral black and white to provide balance and structure (primary colors)
- Deep blues and teals for clarity, trust, and open communication
- Vibrant pinks and oranges for creativity, energy, and engagement
While it’s important to have unity across a brand, not everything has to look exactly the same. I wanted everything I create to be sisters, not twins — connected by a shared foundation but unique in their own right.
My digital products can have a slightly different color emphasis than my podcast and workshops, but they all still feel like part of the same family. Meanwhile, the colors used on social media and my website can tie everything together without looking chaotic.
Strong Brand Standards for a Flexible Palette
With an expanded color palette comes the need for clear guidelines. Some designers like to use all the crayons in the crayon box. Without strong brand standards, a flexible palette can quickly turn into visual chaos. Or, as one client who looked at the complete brand board said, “It’s giving heavy Babysitters’ Club vibes when I look at the candy-colored palette.”
Photo credit: Brian Kubo
Using Brand Photography to Update Visual Identity
My last brand photography session was a full-day studio shoot in 2019. I spent months working with a photographer, stylist, and set designer to plan every aspect of the shoot — right down to my jewelry, false eyelashes and props.
This time around, I want to take my time with photos representing the new visual identity of the Tonya Kubo brand. I plan on a series of casual photo shoots over the course of 2025 before having a formal studio brand photography session. I believe this approach will yield the variety I need to accurately represent all aspects of my brand and personality.
The first session took place at a downtown cafe my hometown with my husband, Brian, serving as photographer using my Samsung S25+ phone as his camera. I’m wearing a black T-shirt with #FindYourFreaks across the front to promote my new podcast.
5 Steps to Update Your Visual Identity
- Choose one visual element to update first (font, logo, or colors)
- Test changes with clients and private communities
- Gather feedback (only if you truly care about community buy-in)
- Document your brand standards:
- Primary colors (like black and white) as your foundation
- Rules for using secondary colors (no more than 2 at once)
- Guidelines for maintaining visual consistency across platforms
- Update your brand photos accordingly
If you’re struggling with your visual identity, consider these questions:
- Which visual elements no longer align with your brand?
- Where could you test small changes first?
Phase 3: Messaging & Positioning Adjustments
The Concept: Think of your brand messaging as your story and your position as your place in the market. As your business evolves, both need regular updates to stay relevant and effective. This is true whether you’re updating your visual identity or not.
My Approach: While my core mission of fostering meaningful online connections hasn’t changed, my business has evolved substantially over the years. I’ve grown beyond blending book marketing with social media and community management. Now, my full focus is online community strategy and design and the online marketing that goes along with it.
Because I’ve lived through the evolution of the Tonya Kubo brand over time, I’m too close to my own business to be able to update my messaging and positioning in a way that makes sense to others. I’ve commissioned Rachel Allen of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting to wrap the right words around the value of the work I do.
Website content strategy was the first indicator of how the Tonya Kubo brand would evolve.
Tonya Kubo Brand Content Strategy
Before I could even start talking with Rachel about copywriting, I had to first get clear on my online content strategy. This is another example of being unable to read the label from inside the jar. Though I spent years as the online engagement director at a public research university, I knew I would need help creating a content strategy that showcased the intersection of what I offer with what my target market most desperately desires.
For this part of the project, I hired content marketing strategist Adrienne Kmetz. Adrienne and I met in Deanna Seymour’s Playhouse community before I had even begun to discuss my rebranding plans with anyone. But I instantly recognized that Adrienne had the portfolio of experience required to help me deliver the greatest value through my content.
We started working on my website content strategy in November 2024, paying close attention to blog articles, resource guides and the key pages potential clients will visit to investigate me as a service provider (home, services, about, contact).
Adrienne’s expertise in technical and content SEO (search engine optimization) has been invaluable. But I’ve especially appreciated having her as a thought partner while I decide which topics to explore to make this website the go-to resource for online community leaders, membership site owners and professional community managers.
Tonya Kubo Brand Messaging and Positioning
I spent most of 2024 auditing my website, social media and newsletter content to reveal:
- Inconsistent descriptions of my services and target market
- Content that no longer accurately reflected my work
- Vague references to values and vision without a bold stance of what I stand for and against.
- Outdated testimonials praising services I no longer offer
- Woefully outdated articles and resources
In early 2025, I met with Rachel to clarify my value proposition and articulate what makes my approach unique:
- How my journalism and public relations background influences my approach to online community building
- How my crisis communications experience colors my perspective on online user behavior and community engagement
- The specific results clients achieve by working with me
- How my methods differ from other professionals who position themselves as experts in community strategy and management.
- Where I fit in the current market landscape
Now that the site redesign is complete, you can see Rachel’s approach to storytelling woven throughout. The most notable changes, however, are:
- Unapologetic core messages about my work and approach (and much shorter homepage copy)
- Clear descriptions of different service offerings
- Explicit messaging indicating if you’re in the right place
- Specific calls to action
- An About page that really feels like me
How You Can Update Your Messaging and Positioning
- Audit Your Messaging
- Review current communications, noting inconsistencies and outdated messaging
- Identify what resonates with your audience
- Map out the gaps between current and desired positioning
- Clarify Your Position
- Define your unique value proposition
- Identify what sets you apart from competitors
- Articulate your brand personality
- Develop New Messaging
- Create core messages
- Define your content pillars
- Update your brand story and service descriptions
- Strategically Implement Your Changes
- Take a phased approach by starting with one channel to test messaging
- Evaluate success and refine accordingly
- Document what works and roll out changes across all channels
If you’re struggling with your messaging and positioning, consider:
- How has your business evolved?
- Where do you need more clarity in describing what you do?
- How have your clients’ needs changed?
- What new stories do you need to tell about your work?
Aside from the color palette and font being hard on the eyes, the hero image taking up so much space made it hard for website visitors to get what they needed easily.
Phase 4: Deep Structural Changes
The Concept: Bigger changes — like updating your website and marketing collateral — should come after your visual identity and messaging are established. By this point, your audience is familiar with the new look and feel, making the transition smoother.
My Approach: For my rebrand, structural changes focus on creating a more cohesive ecosystem across all offerings:
- Digital products and frameworks share consistent visual elements while maintaining their unique identities
- Course materials incorporate the new accessible font choices and expanded color palette
- Website structure showcases my services and offerings in a way that makes sense
TonyaKubo.com Walkthrough – Watch Video
Structural Changes for the Tonya Kubo Brand
To redesign this website, I hired Angela Bouma of Bouma Design Co. Angela is the designer who created my original Tonya Kubo brand and website, and we’ve tackled a variety of website and branding strategy and design projects over the years. Most recently, we collaborated on the California Breastfeeding Coalition and Everyday Effectiveness website redesigns.
Angela, a WordPress designer who specializes in the Divi theme, was the last piece of the puzzle and the reason the new site design launched June 2025.
I’m also working with Kate Gilbert to create design templates for ebooks and printable resources. Though this type of work falls well within Angela’s wheelhouse, timing and capacity required that I outsource this aspect of the redesign project to someone else. Kate and I have worked together on messaging and online reputation management since 2024. Though this isn’t a standard service offering for her, I’m grateful she was willing to step in to help.
Interim Site Changes for TonyaKubo.com (January-May 2025)
If you compare the old homepage design (above) and the interim design (below), you’ll notice the following changes:
- Logo updated and sized down
- Navigation menu added to the top of the home page
- Hero image at the top of the page was changed to a smaller vertical photo
- Top header (H1) and intro copy adjusted to take up two-thirds of the horizontal space
- The above changes allow a call-to-action button (links to contact form) placed high on the page (above the “fold)
- The black boxes with problem-agitation copy moved below the hero and are now placed in a horizontal row instead of vertical stack
- Circles with arrows directing the visitor to scroll have been reduced in size by 60%
- All fonts have been changed to Atkinson Hyperlegible
- Accent text changed from carmine red to fuchsia
- Accent backgrounds changed from cyan to mint green
- Call-to-action (CTA) buttons and links switched from black and carmine red to bright blue
- CTA menu under “let me help you find and serve your true audience” reduced from four options to three, and stock photos have been replaced with black-and-white versions of original photos.
The interim version of the homepage is significantly shorter than the original one from 2016, and it’s much more user-friendly. Removing reference to an outdated lead magnet left more space for the remaining options, which actually offer the greatest value to visitors: my free Facebook group, blog articles, and services page.
Swapping out fonts, colors and logo instantly freshened the look of the site before the redesign took place in June 2025.
How You Can Prioritize Your Structural Changes
- Roll out new product/service names in phases
- Redesign your website or sales pages only after your messaging is solidified
- Update your content delivery systems (courses, products, resources)
- Refresh customer-facing documents and templates
If you’re struggling with this exercise, consider:
- What structural changes would better support your evolved brand?
- Which changes might have the biggest impact on your customers?
- How can you make transitions easier for your audience?
Phase 5: Final Touches & Full Integration
The Concept: The final phase is about ensuring consistency across every touchpoint and celebrating the completion of your rebrand journey. This is when everything should feel cohesive and aligned. Depending on the size of your organization, Phase 5 can last anywhere from one to three years after Phase 4 ends.
My Approach: While going from Tonya Kubo brand 1.0 to 2.0 is a heavy lift, I have no problem spending up to three years refining the brand further.
Tonya Kubo Brand Final Touches and Full Integration
I won’t begin Phase 5 until late Fall 2025, during which time I’ll:
- Finalize all documentation — If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen. Guidelines must be written that cover visual identity and messaging so that the brand doesn’t get diluted when subcontracting with creative professionals.
- Communicate all decisions — Ensuring everyone who works with my brand understands the new standards
- Apply the new brand standards to my learning management system — All of my high-value educational resources are hosted on MemberVault. Though it won’t be hard to update my resource vault with the new branding, it will take time. This is something I can outsource to a designer later.
Your Checklist for Final Touches and Full Integration
You and I are different business owners and individuals, which means my priorities and yours will not be the same. It’s important that you integrate your new brand identity in a way that aligns with your priorities and the market you serve.
However, here are some things to think about before considering your rebrand final and complete:
- Brand touchpoints
- Website
- Business cards and promotional materials
- Presentation templates
- Internal documents and resource hubs
- Email signatures
- Social media profile images and headers
- Templates for social media posts, email newsletters, website feature images
- Lead magnets and resource guides
- Landing pages
- Marketing funnel assets (evergreen webinars, social media ads, etc)
- Team resources and training materials
- Logos on external sites (partners and collaborators)
- Google Business listings
Communicating Updates to Your Visual Identity and Brand Design
Once your visuals start evolving, it’s time to refine how you talk about your brand. While nobody will ever care as much as you do about the logos, fonts, and colors you choose, developing a story around your choices makes you memorable and reinforces the emotions the public associates with you and your company. Storytelling helps your audience adjust to the changes without feeling like they’ve lost the essence of your business.
My Communications Approach
During the messaging phase, I focused on communicating what was changing and why, being especially transparent about the accessibility factors driving many decisions. This article is the most comprehensive explanation of the Tonya Kubo brand evolution, but you’ll see references to it throughout my newsletter, social media and media appearances for at least a year — until most people forget anything before what you see now.
Some key updates communicated early and often:
- Explaining the font choice — Abraham Lincoln has become synonymous with the power and prestige of the Tonya Kubo brand. The bold simplicity of Atkinson Hyperlegible is a dramatic change. But explaining its focus on legibility and accessibility helps the public understand how it aligns perfectly with my mission to help people cut through noise and focus on what matters
- Sharing the symbolism behind design choices — Like explaining how the “tk” in my secondary logo connects to my journalism background, so those who know me as a professional communicator don’t mistake it for a cutesy attempt at trendiness.
- Demonstrating how brand evolution reflects business growth — Walking my audience through how the expanded color palette supports different aspects of my expanding business
It didn’t occur to me how confusing it would be to show logos and brand colors without additional context.
Lessons Learned So Far from Updating the Tonya Kubo Visual Identity and Brand
As I work through updating the Tonya Kubo brand and visual identity throughout 2025 and possibly into 2026, I’ll document lessons learned here.
What’s Working
- The new font made a bigger impact than expected with everyone who sees it instantly commenting on how much they like its crisp lines and readability.
- Clear beats clever every time. The accessibility-first approach to this new visual identity resonated with everyone in my community.
- Focusing on content before design gave the creatives commissioned for the project a better understanding of the message I wanted to convey with my visual identity.
- Rebranding in public, letting my community see the sausage get made, made everyone feel included and deepened their connection to me and the new version of my brand.
What I’d Do Differently
- I made the mistake of initially showing the brand board with primary and secondary logos and complete color palette without explanation.
- People who didn’t know my journalism background fixated on the t|k wordmark, worried that I wasn’t aware of it as an editorial mark.
- When looking at the color palette as a complete unit, most people assumed I planned to use all of the colors at the same time. And that’s what led to a lot of people referencing Skittles and The Babysitters’ Club when they first saw the brand board.
- In the future, I won’t show the brand board to external audiences, instead only showing the logo, colors and fonts in context of how they’ll be used publicly.
Tips for Your Rebrand
- Start with clear goals but stay flexible in your approach
- Keep your audience informed throughout the process
- Test changes in low-stakes environments first
- Document everything, including feedback and lessons learned
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