Skool Community Branding: How to Stop Losing Trust

• "Marketing is telling a true story that spreads." – Seth Godin

• "Marketing is [1-1] sales, at scale." – Alex Hormozi

• "If you expect to be normal and get outlier results, good luck." – Alex Hormozi

• "AI is 90% marketing and 10% reality." – Linus Torvalds

The State of Skool Community Branding in 2025

Especially if you are just starting with Skool or haven’t begun building your online business yet, listen up, because I’m talking to you.

Keep your eyes peeled.

If someone (in a course, on YouTube, in a carousel, etc.) is trying to tell you to "move fast and break things," or "speed is perfection," they're plopping a flaming bag of crap right on your doorstep—Ding Dong! HELLO! 👀

On the surface level, it seems like good advice—just get it done! You know, it makes sense, but does it make dollars?

Building a brand that earns trust isn't about getting stuff posted fast or cutting corners. It's about looking sharp and oozing professionalism over looking "just good enough," or worse.

Especially in the beginning, when you have no reputation or social proof to ride on, newsflash, your brand then becomes your social proof! So make damn sure you look like you know what you’re doing! If you don’t see it as desirable, your customers won’t either.

People can see straight through that pile of BS you slapped together. Sure, you can move fast, but they aren’t going to buy from you, given its over $20.

Take your time and put in the hard work in the very beginning to get your brand right—and not just the aesthetic elements.

Stick with me if you want to not just sell to your audience but blow their friggin’ minds.

Professionalism Means Trust

Want your audience to trust you? Especially when you're asking them to part with their hard-earned cash? Then be a damn professional! Hint-hint, again, it starts with how you look.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, really, I implore you to make it a good one.

Keep it simple, stupid!

Or more specifically, be NEAT: No Excess, Add Tastefully. Neither your logo nor your brand design has to be complex; in fact, they shouldn’t be. Remember, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Did someone finally chime in with the word “proof” after all this blathering? I’m glad you asked.

Ever heard of the Halo Effect? It's a cognitive bias that basically says that if your brand looks polished, people can perceive it to be more valuable.

Think about an $80 candle, it’s just a candle! But the box it comes in is epic, so it makes you feel like you are buying a candle at a next level caliber. Something someone who lost there marbles might want to pay $80 for.

Now, I’m assuming you are selling Skool courses and not candles, but the same logic applies.

If your brand looks polished and professional, people will assume your product is top banana, too.

Shoot, according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, attractive packaging can increase perceived product value by up to 30%!

Think of your brand as the wrapping on a gift. You can't see what's inside yet, but the packaging looks so irresistible, you just can't wait to rip it open! Smell me?

Focus on the packaging—take your time to make all your visual content highly professional, refined, and tailored to your audience.

Here’s some more science I called in for backup in case you still doubted me:

• The Aesthetic-Usability Effect tells us that users perceive more attractive designs as easier to use and of higher quality.

• The Gestalt Principle of Unity and Harmony tells us that people perceive the whole before the individual parts. So make sure your branding elements work together seamlessly to create a lasting impression.

People Buy Your Why

We buy things that align with our identity and core values. You might cop that marketing-themed T-shirt because you identify as a marketer (like I do)—it's how you tell the world who you are.

We buy Polo not because we play polo (who the frig does?), but because we want to be part of that Montaulk, prep-lord vibe.

We buy to identify.

So, create something niche and targeted. Build highly memorable experiences. Take a friggin’ risk!

You might not build a brand like Polo overnight, but you can create a "Marketing Brand" that calls out to other marketers who identify with you. It's works like rocket fuel if you're an authority in your field, but we’ll work up to that!

For now, just tap into identity-based marketing. You're not just selling products—you're selling a vision of who people are or who they want to be. Sell the outcome!

Authenticity Is the Real MVP

Your audience can spot phony content faster than AI can write a stupid as crap joke. But here's the monkey in the middle: Authenticity doesn't mean being a jerk.

As Seth Godin says, be a professional—don't be “authentic” and tell someone their life’s work sucks and their existence is a farse! That would be unwise, and very unprofessional.

Being “authentic” is pivotal, but that doesn't give you a license to be a jackass. People trust vulnerability and imperfection—the rise of raw video proves it. It's the one place you can be as unpolished as you like! So be true to yourself, just remember, don’t be an a-hole.

Your Brand Is a Vibe

Sure, aesthetics matter, but your brand is more than just a pretty logo. It's the vibe people get when they interact with you—the lasting impression that lingers after they scroll past. Branding is like personality—it's what people remember. Make yours so unforgettable they can't help but come back for more.

More on this to come in future newsletters, so stay tuned!

Bottom Line

Make your brand look amazing, connect with your audience's identity, be real (but not a jerk), and create a memorable vibe. Do this, and you'll blow their minds.

And by the way…

I’m not telling you to get stuck on this and spend forever “perfecting your brand.” There are professionals for that! Spend a couple of hundred bucks and do it right. Remember, life is a mirror—you get out what you put in. If you cut corners, you’re only fooling yourself, my friend.

Alright, Disruptors, time to get off your ace and get down to business.

Here are three epic steps to spruce up your brand's packaging and make it snap, crackle, pop:

1. Hire a Professional Designer (Oh no, money!)

   • Action: Stop cutting corners and just put up the dough. Pay for a designer to make your brand look professional. Don't go the free route here—just my opinion, backed by science.

   • Why: Studies show that professionally designed brands are perceived as more trustworthy and valuable. Your audience can tell the difference between DIY and pro-level work. Don’t be cheap!

2. Create a Brand Guidelines Doc

   • Action: Define your specific brand colors, typefaces, patterns—you name it. Put it all together in a brand guidelines document.

   • Why: Consistency is king. A brand guide helps you stay on-brand as you churn out more content (and trust me, you will). Staying consistent in your design is a surefire way to communicate professionalism. Not only does it make you instantly recognizable, but it's also backed by science to boost your bottom line. Did I mention cash is king?

3. Audit and Upgrade Your Content Across All Platforms

   • Action: Give all your content a once-over—social media, your Skool course, your website, everything. Make sure it not only looks cohesive but also packs a punch to the throat in quality.

   • Why: Your brand should deliver a seamless and high-quality experience wherever your audience finds you. Cohesive and top-notch content builds trust and makes you stand out from the sea of mediocrity. Boring is our sworn enemy.

P.S. Want templates and step-by-step instructions to make this super easy?

Join Course Unlocked, our 100% free community, and get it all instantly. We've done the heavy lifting so you can focus on what you do best!