I’ve been drawn to taking photos of the makeshift and quick solve signs that have been posted on so many storefront doors.
Words, as few of them as possible written down or typed out on white paper. Words in their most basic form, used to share a necessary message. It’s relevant to my work. But at the heart of it, what drew me to take my first picture was that I felt like a sign that read “No mask, No service” was truly a “sign of the times.”
When you are starting a business or creating something of your own, figuring out what’s right, best and most effective for you and your business can be one of the hardest things. There’s no template on the shared drive to use, there’s no one from senior leadership providing guidance on your work or prospects. There’s no painted lines or street signs……it’s just you.
I never knew the mission of the first organization I worked for. Throughout my career I’ve seen missions on elevator doors, on conference room walls, in small frames at front desks and on letterhead. But I always wondered, who were these external placements really for and was anyone stopping to really read and process?
What comes to mind when someone asks you about your brand? Most likely it is your logo, followed by your product, maybe your name, and then your website. But your brand is not just these things, it’s all of this and much more. It’s the feelings someone has when they use your product or see your logo and the pride they feel when they’ve gifted or recommended a product or service you’ve created.
Strategy can feel like a big, confusing, multi-meaning word, and it is, brand strategy encompasses a lot of things. But here are four key components that live within brand strategy and why they should matter to you…
January really is the best time to audit. The timing feels right to take a look at what has surfaced to the top of the list for this year’s priorities and goals and ask ourselves some big and important questions, such as “Does the current external perception of our brand match our internal intention?” and more.
When you are standing next to your brand or product, vulnerable and hopeful to be accepted and desired, your level of confidence and pride in it is the highest it will ever be. And that sense of brand pride should always be present in today’s economy and environment, even if nine other people interact with the product before it reaches the end consumer.
I talk a lot about "Brand Voice" but some people have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about when I say that. How you speak and what you say is just as important as how you look! Personality and tone of voice play a huge part in why we’re drawn to our friends and our favorite brands. So here are a few thoughts on brand voice and it's a good time to ask yourself, are you giving your voice the attention it deserves?