Cultivating a Brand People Are Obsessed With
What is branding?
If your instinctual answer is a name and logo, you’re only partially correct. While they are integral to a brand, and we invest a lot of time into getting them right - they are still just an element of the brand. Branding is what makes you stand out, it’s your organization’s purpose and personality, it’s why people should care about you.
If you’ve been struggling with how to define and communicate those things, it’s your lucky day! We’ve narrowed down some key elements of cultivating a brand that people are obsessed with, and we’re sharing them with you!
0 1 Rooted in values
Building your brand identity around a shared set of values gives it both personality and purpose. It provides freedom to authentically and earnestly work towards leaving the world better than you found it.
Prompts
What do you or your brand stand for that people actually care about?
What morals/values do you hold strong?
Does your business/organization reflect these?
0 2 Storytelling
"Human beings are complex, multilayered bundles of contradictions, and so are the brands they fall in love with."
- EMILY HEYWARD
What are the stories your brand is telling? Are they filled with tension and vulnerability and relatability? The goal of storytelling is to connect. Those moments where people feel seen or connected leaves an impression. The goal is to craft a story that flows naturally from your purpose and unique perspective. It centers your customer as the main character or hero in the narrative, with your brand as the guide.
Prompts
Quickly jot down a story that includes these elements:
- Client/Target audience (Who are they? Be descriptive.)
- Has a problem (What is the problem?)
- Uses your product or service (How does it uniquely solve the challenge?)
- Leads them to action (What action?)
- Which creates results (What result? i.e.Health, wealth, freedom, success, joy, etc.?)
Notice how the story centers the client taking control of their life, making decisions that has real impact on their well-being.
0 3 Purpose & Personality
Shining fully in all the facets of your purpose and personality inspires others to find their meaning and purpose too. A community that works together, stays together. It builds a sort of camaraderie that only comes from working towards a common goal. We all have our part to play, the part that is only filled by our unique, whole self.
Prompts
In what ways do you hope to leave the world better than you found it?
What is your unique voice, or experiences, or story that drive that?
How would your closest friends and family describe you?
0 4 Community
Brands build community when they create a collective connection over a shared set of passions or values. Learning, sharing, growing together makes us all emotionally invested and fosters a sense of mutuality and inclusion. The community empowers each other and the organic reach grows as people can't help but share what they're excited about.
Prompts
How can you give your community closer access to you and/or your process?
What are ways you can encourage mutual community engagement?
How can you empower your community and inspire them to empower each other?
0 5 Core Needs
If you unravel the layers of 'why' your audience may need or want what you're offering you'll begin to notice a pattern. The layers eventually reveal a core need. Tapping into those core needs - that every one of us has - allows you to speak more precisely to your purpose. And because they are such deep, universal needs, they sometimes may feel obvious or familiar. Nurturing those feelings of sentimentality or familiarity can help foster trust.
CERTAINTY: need to feel secure and safe about the future
VARIETY: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
SIGNIFICANCE: feeling unique, important, special, or needed
CONNECTION/LOVE: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
GROWTH: an expansion of capacity, capability, experiences, or understanding
CONTRIBUTION: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to, and supporting others
SURVIVAL: food, clean water, clean air, housing, basic necessities
Prompts
Try the ‘WHY’ exercise. Start with “why should people care about why my brand exists?” To every answer, ask ‘why’ again until it narrows down to the top 3 core needs of your audience.
For example: Why should people care that Luxart exists? Because they have a product or service they want to tell the world about. Why? Because they have big dreams, they have insight and innovation to solve problems. Why? Because they want to capitalize on opportunities to use their unique skillsets to support themselves and their families and make the world a better place. Why? Because we all want to have purpose. Why? To have certainty, contribution, and significance.
0 6 Problem-Solving
Your brand's existence and sustainability relies on your insight - the ability to see what's missing and your innovation - your creative and unique solutions to those problems. Most businesses have done this intuitively but your branding should identify it and communicate it well to your target audience.
Prompts
What's missing from your ideal client's life?
Why should they care about your brand?
What problem does your brand solve for your clients?
0 7 Not About You, It's About Them
The temptation is to talk about your organization and what you can do for them - but try to put yourself in the target audience’s shoes. Speak to where they want to be/go and then offer up the solution secondary. Don’t underestimate intuition and the value of being seen - it builds trust. Flip your perspective from "what can the client do for me and my bottom line?" to "how do I best serve my client and help them achieve their goals?"
Prompts
What are some ways you've taken a brand-first approach?
What would it look like to flip those perspectives?
How can you gather more information on the goals, needs, or wants of your clients? (i.e. poll, surveys, ask me anything, etc)