Want to 'put a ding in the universe'? Questions to ask yourself when developing your brand

Branding. It’s an aspect of marketing that a lot of people understand, but not many get right. When it comes to developing your brand for your business or social enterprise, you really need to dig deep and ask yourself some important questions. If you don’t know the essence of who you are, why you exist and what problems you’re solving, then your customers can’t either.

Your brand is not just your visual identity; it’s reflected in every aspect of your business - your tone of voice copy, the types of content you produce, and more importantly, how you interact with your customers.

Once you’ve created a successful brand, the rest is easy. Your brand becomes a roadmap for how you do everything - what you think, how you act, and the decisions you take as a business.

The most impactful brands (think Apple, Google) have surely asked themselves the following questions, and used the answers as their consistent signpost for everything they do; both online and offline.

Why do you exist?

I’m not asking you to delve into existential philosophy here, just to think about your ‘raison d’etre’ - your reason or purpose for setting up your business or social enterprise in the first place. And I’m not just talking about money.

There needs to be a reason beyond profit in order for people to emotionally engage with your brand (Remember Steve Jobs - ‘I want to put a ding in the universe?’). It can be just one reason, or several.

What problem are you solving for your customers?

You’re providing a service or a product; but what problem are you solving to the end user? Are you appealing to their ethics or values? Are you helping them be healthier? Are you providing expert knowledge on a subject?

It’s important to not just consider the problem you’re solving, but the way you solve it for them.

For example, if you’re a clothing business, do you provide outfits for the busy 9-5’er? Are you focused on ethical fashion? Do your supplies come from a FairTrade stockist? Once you’re explicit about exactly how you meet your audience’s needs, they’re likely to buy into and trust your brand.

What’s different about you?

It’s easy to overlook our differences when we take them for granted, but even if you’re in a saturated market; no one business is going to have the same skills, knowledge and experience in their team.

What do you know or what have you done that others haven’t? Celebrate your differences and use them to your advantage. Being the odd one out is not always a bad thing.

What emotional experience would you like those interacting with your brand to receive?

This one’s about how you connect with your audience.

If you’re selling a health service, for example, you could brand yourself in a way that was purely clinical, and have a scientific, authoritative tone of voice; or you could market yourself in a way that’s fun and enjoyable, and easy to understand.

The two experiences your audience will get are very different; even though the service is essentially the same. Make a list of words or ‘take home feelings’ that you’d like your customers to get after each interaction with you.

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As with all brands, consistency is key. Why? Because it shows that as a brand, you’re to be trusted.

You stick to your values, and you have integrity. So many businesses forget this and sometimes end up sending out mixed messages in their copy and visual identity, and this can potentially create a barrier between your business and those you’re trying to connect with.

Print these questions somewhere you can read them everyday; and it will help you stay focused, on track, and aligned with where you want your brand to be.

Vulnerability: the new way to build a following

Being vulnerable with your audience is a way that can get you more followers.

In an era of polarised politics, confused truths and media agendas, the brands that are real, raw and authentic are strangely compelling.

Most marketers have heard that 2017 is the year of video; but I think it goes beyond that;  it is the year of authentic connection. Here’s two marketing avenues that will continue to be fruitful for brands with purpose:
 

Video, Vlogs and Live Streaming

We all know how insanely popular vlogging is with audiences, and that Zoella propelled herself to fame largely due to her sharing her social anxiety, and showing that she wasn’t perfect.

Carrie Green, founder of the successful Female Entrepreneur Association has started a vlog, and explains her reasons for doing so - that these types of videos get a lot more engagement than a heavily edited video.

The rise of live streaming also encourages authenticity, too. We can’t hide behind a script or hours of editing to make ourselves appear ‘perfect’. We just don’t know what will happen on a live broadcast. Marketers are shifting from writing traditional blogs and articles, to sharing their passion for their business via video, therefore connecting the potential customer with the person behind the brand.

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Another area that is encouraging brands to discuss vulnerability is the attention mental health has had over the last ten years. Mental health and emotional wellbeing are no longer considered such taboo subjects; opening up and discussing your fears, worries and insecurities seem to bond us to each other. We feel more connected to someone if they share a vulnerable part of themselves, and I believe it is this emotional connection we are looking for in a world that seems to be in chaos.

Experiential and Live events

If vlogging and live video are as close as you can digitally get to the real, authentic nature of a person, then experiential and live events are that bit closer.

I believe the phenomenal rise of brands such as the dj trio Above and Beyond (who build their live identity around shared connection and vulnerability) is not just down to what they do - but who they are.

At the moment, there is a global proliferation of festivals - an event primarily designed for lots of people to enjoy music, but also to come together and collectively share experiences.

Those experiences are witnessed and felt; and then translated onto the web in a plethora of emotive comments, posts and shares.

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Social media is popular because it allows us to experience a shared connection; albeit a virtual one. However, it is also a double edged sword, because if you put yourself out there, the entire world is watching. You have a global platform at your feet, and by showing vulnerability you lay yourself wide open to attack.

If you dare to share your story in an authentic and vulnerable way - highlighting both the triumphs and the failures, the meaningful moments and the disappointments, you may just get a following that are bonded to your brand like never before.

It's not what you do, but how you do it: 8 Tips for producing effective content

When it comes to your business, the online world is one of the most important things to consider. You have thousands, if not millions of potential customers at your fingertips.

So where should you start? Here's a few things to be thinking about when planning content for your business:

1. Define your audience and their painpoints

The first thing to do when creating any content strategy is to figure out your ‘personas’, or audience. This is essentially working out a typical demographic profile for each of your types of customers and their thought process in wanting to come and buy from you. Ask yourself: What are their needs? Why would they come to you over someone else? What problem are you solving for them?

2. Decide on your channel strategy

Your channel strategy is part of your content strategy, and is about identifying which channels work best for your content. You don’t have to use all channels to promote yourself, just the ones where your audience hang out. Will LinkedIn and YouTube work best for you? Do some market research on your audience and their online activity.

3. Create content using your tone of voice

When it comes to creating content, think bitesize. Content is not really for your website; it’s the tools used to drive people to your website. So it’s important that you create content in the style of your organisation - are you friendly or informal? Do you use humour? Creating pictures, video, and writing copy all should be done in your tone of voice, to reflect your brand.

4. Ensure all content has a ‘Call To Action’

It’s vital that every piece of content you create has a clear call-to-action. A call to action is getting a reader or a viewer to take an action after they have engaged with the content, such as visiting a webpage, downloading a paper, or calling someone. Make it the obvious next step for your content.

5. Think ‘content opportunity’

Ensure all of your activities become content opportunities. For example, if you’re running a cafe, have you launched a new menu? Take a photo and upload it! Is it a busy day in the cafe or are you holding an event? Do a 30 second video teaser! Think at every opportunity: ‘can this be turned into content?’

6. Be an authoritative voice

When creating content, you want to become an authoritative voice. You want your audience to know your brand, like it, but most importantly trust it. Ensure you gain credibility by showing off your expertise in that area.

7. Encourage your audience to create content

It’s not just you that should be a content generator; your audience should be too! The more engaged your audience, the more likely it is that they will create a buzz for you by uploading a photo or tweeting their enthusiasm for your brand. One good way to get your audience to create content is through competitions. For example you could run a photo competition relating to your business, encouraging lots of people to participate to win a prize.

8. Make it easily shareable

Content must be easily shareable. As more and more content is being viewed on mobile devices, it goes without saying that the content should be short, and easily shared by someone else. If you have a video, make sure it’s three minutes or less. If you’re creating an infographic, ensure there’s just a small amount of copy, and that the key facts stand out. 

Want to know more about creating effective content? 

7 Freelancing lessons learned in 2016

This year, I’ve taken the plunge to do more freelance work; mainly working remotely through sites such as Upwork, and taking on a few local clients. There’s so many things I’ve learned already; so in order for me to remember them and to share them with others, here’s the tips I’ve gained in 2016:

1. Look after your health

It’s been said a thousand times before, but as a freelancer, you are the product. Particularly if you’re a sole trader, as I am. There’s no sick pay, no other employees to lean on - in short, if you’re sick, your business and finances suffer. So looking after your health becomes extremely important. It’s not just about getting enough exercise, eating the right foods and sleeping enough, although these are important. It’s about looking after your mental wellbeing too - noticing if you’re getting stressed, or taking on too much work.

I’ve found I’ve started to develop the art of listening to my body. When’s there’s no clock telling you to go home, you rely on your own internal body clock. Some days I’m just not productive. My energy just ebbs and flows, that is life. Rather than beating myself up about it, I’ll just ensure that I plan my time better another day or switch my location so that I am productive.

I got quite sick this year, with what some doctors diagnosed as Guillain Barre Syndrome. Having the patience to let my body heal has been the biggest challenge for me. I’m not blessed with patience and like to work at break-neck speed, spinning several different hobbies and workloads. Health is now my prime concern, it comes before work every time.

   2. Set boundaries

Setting boundaries in general is such a huge and important lesson, and one I’m only just starting to get the hang of. I always felt uncomfortable saying no to people, or limiting my time with them, until I realised that if I was going to look after my health, I had to do this.

I once knew someone that ran his own business, but replied to every email from his client within 5 minutes, worked on weekends, and replied to emails on his holiday. He set a precedent that over time, became the norm. The client became increasingly demanding because he had failed to set boundaries. He was overworked, stressed, and had health problems. I vowed never to get to that stage - it’s not why I decided to work for myself!

When your time is your money, and you are your business, you have to start valuing your time and preserving your energy. If a ‘quick call’ turns into over an hour, or a ‘catch up meeting’ runs over time, you have to either set a strict timeframe, or charge for your time. Or both.

Ironically, when you start to respect yourself and your own time, that’s when others do too.

3. Raise your expectations

Business relationships are really no different from other types of relationships, and it’s been interesting to me how my views on them have changed. Earlier this year, I would have worked with anyone,  because my perceived value on my services was that I was still ‘starting out’ and I needed to build my portfolio. That led to me working with people who really weren’t working in the way I like to work. We were mismatched, and I either got projects I didn’t like or I worked with people who I didn’t resonate with.

I started to get clear about what I wanted. I wanted people who were serious about their idea, were demonstrating that in their success, and that were adding value to the world beyond making a profit. I’m now focusing my efforts in working with social enterprises and conscious business, and am meeting some amazing people that I’d actually be friends with rather than just work for.

4. Back up your work

A simple yet crucial lesson! When doing copywriting or content work, I often use Google Drive, as it’s a useful tool for tracking version control and amends, and one that’s easily shared with clients. As I was recently getting to the limit of my storage, I went through and deleted what I thought were a bunch of my old files - until I realised I had permanently deleted a recent client file that we were both using! Luckily I quickly did some digging, and managed to get the deleted item restored by contacting Google. But it has made me appreciate the value of having backups.

5. Set aside a finance day each month

At the end or the beginning of a month, I set aside a day purely for finances and planning. This means I do invoicing, manage any expenses, and look at the work I have coming in, and try to forecast ahead.

A planning day is so vitally important as you’re ‘adjusting your sails’, and reflecting on what is often a hectic lifestyle. If you’re juggling several clients, trying to keep them all happy, you can lose sight of you, where you’re going, and why you’re doing this in the first place. My goal for freelancing wasn’t just financial - it was to build a lifestyle where I am in control of my own time, and to have more of a balance between work and play.

6. Set aside learning time

One thing I almost never did when I was working at companies is set aside chunks of learning time. I figured that if I spent too much time learning and not enough on outputs, my employers would think I was just wasting time if they saw me reading articles online. When in fact, I personally considered learning to be extremely important and key to the growth of a successful organisation.

I get so much out of reading, that it encourages me to grow. It sparks my mind with new ideas and I take bits I resonate with and implement them into my working week. I’ve just added to my bookmarks bar the Hubspot Blog, The Hootsuite Blog, The Freelancers Union and the Buffer Blog. These sites give me some much needed brain food when I’m lacking in inspiration. By setting aside 30 minutes a day for reading, you’re committing to your personal growth by taking daily action.

7. You get what you decide on

My health crisis this year almost forced me to work remotely and go freelance - I couldn’t sit up for long periods, and I did bits at a time, slowly. So for me, it was a blessing in disguise as it’s what I always wanted. When I started to get better, I realised that I was a lot happier when I was in control of when, how and where I worked. So I made a decision that I was going to do this, whatever it took. If it took me working part time, or not having the financial security that other people had, then fine, that was ok. It has been 100% worth it.

There has been a large increase this year in the amount of people going freelance, either working remotely, co-working, or becoming a digital nomad, working and travelling the world. One of my highest values is freedom and this kind of lifestyle suits me. There are drawbacks of course; not being able to predict your cashflow (most frustrating), being lonely at times, juggling lots of work, building up your reputation, wearing lots of hats - but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Ultimately I’ve realised that if you really want something, you just need to make a firm decision that this is the path you want to take and you’ll deal with challenges as and when they arise.

Here’s to learning even more lessons in 2017!

Trust arises from authenticity

Today, trust is everything. In our online, hyper-connected world, we create (mostly) digital relationships, communicating with each other across time and space.

A lot of our transactions are now done online, particularly the transaction of buying and selling. This means that in a world where human contact is minimised, trust is the new currency.

Trust has to be present in order for you to buy, or invest in someone. This means that you need to feel that the person you are entering into a transaction with, is genuine and authentic. But how do you know that when you're sat miles away, behind a computer, iPad or phone?

Well, a lot of it is about how that brand presents itself. I've noticed that authenticity and integrity are becoming key values that are becoming more important in business, and indeed society itself, as we struggle to sort through who is real and who is false in our new digital age.

When it comes to ourselves, we must refrain from hiding behind a mask, or being who other people want us to be. That hurts both parties- it hurts you because you're not being yourself, and it hurts the other party because they're getting cheated out of a genuine human connection.

More and more brands are becoming successful by opening up and telling their story- their personal journey of how they came to be, the struggles and triumphs along the way. They don't cover up their mistakes. They don't pretend to be someone they're not.

Yet, they attract more and more interest from the public, because they stand out in a world where truth is hard to discern, and integrity of character is what we all want to believe in. 

Trust, in whatever form, arises from being willing to be fearlessly open; from being willing to share, and willing to connect on an emotional level.

Trust arises for the person you're transacting with when you know who you are as a business or an individual, and aren't afraid to show it. You live your values, and you are who you say you are.

The Conscious Work Revolution

If there's one thing I love, it's finding conscious businesses, and connecting with them.

Every week, I seem to find more and more people that inspire me, and are a living example of a new way of being (Twitter is especially good for this).

These people have decided to shake off the stereotypes and norms of society, define their own rules, and have built a business or a vision based on connectedness and authenticity.

That's why I strongly feel in my heart there is a conscious revolution occurring, and it gets me very excited.

I was in the bank earlier and was talking to the assistant about my career and life plans, and she asked about my intentions. I told her things are changing because 'I'm sick of the 9-5', and I was met with a pained, stretched smile of sympathy. I looked into her eyes - I knew she felt the same way. I know many of us that do.

Some people decide to let go of their fears and do something that breaks from convention, that breaks from the norm. They have stepped through their fear, and what they are creating is nothing short of amazing. These businesses and people are all inspirational in their own right; but take them as a collective, and you'll notice there's a powerful revolution occurring.

Here's just a few of those I've discovered recently:

Chris Guillebeau, The Art of Non Conformity

Delve TV: thought provoking video essays

DO books: Smart Working, Slow Living

Morning Gloryville, Conscious Clubbing

The Boogie, revolution on the dancefloor

Hubud - The birth of the digital nomad

Marianne Cantwell , Free Range Humans

John Williams, Screw Work Let's Play

Escape the City

Listening to your in-tuition

Albert Einstein once said ‘the intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift’

The intuition is a very interesting part of ourselves and there are many people that do not really recognise it or notice how intuition can guide us to make better choices in our lives.

• For example, have you ever been faced with a couple of job options and that one ‘feels better’ than the others to you?
• Or have you met someone and instantly picked up that they were in a bad mood, without them even speaking?
• Have you felt that you really didn’t want to do something, and yet did it anyway, and caused yourself a stressful situation?
• Or have you decided to wait on something, sensing that the timing wasn’t totally right to take action on it right now?

All of these are examples of using our intuition, or gut instinct, or whatever you want to call it. It doesn’t really matter what you call it.

It is about noticing and picking up on the subtle emotional signals we get from others and situations and matching that up with how we feel inside.

We can pick up whether people are in emotional resonance with their words and actions or not by using our intuition. For example, once practised often enough you can tell whether someone’s emotional tone (how they are feeling) is aligned to what they are saying.

For example someone could say ‘I’m fine, I am doing really well’ when they are not. If you practise using your intuition, you can pick up on the discord in people, or similarly, you can pick up on the fact whether this person is being genuine and authentic or whether they are just putting on a brave face.

Intuition can also guide you on whether to take action in a certain direction. If something feels very fuzzy and unclear, then you can wait until you are more clear and more emotionally aligned before you take action. For example a few months ago I wanted to move house. I saw a few and none of them were great. It just seemed like hard work, so I quickly gave up and thought I could just hold on a few more months where I was. When I felt like I was ready, I had lots of viewings within a week and on the offchance got a phone call about a newly listed home- which I am moving into next week!

Trusting our intuition is the thing a lot of people struggle with.

‘Do they really like me? I get the sense that they do, but I’m not sure’

‘Should I back out of that offer? Something doesn’t quite feel right’

‘I get the feeling they want to be left alone- should I go around?’

The more you test your intuition, the more you are able to rely on it. Sometimes you need to make some mistakes with your intuition before you realise how helpful it is to you in sussing out situations before you make a move.

It’s like someone telling you what the board is like in a game of chess before you make the move.

Sometimes it’s best to wait and let things unfold to see if your intuition or hunch will come true. It’s all about listening to your heart and emotions.

Festivals: a return to 'being'

For quite a while now, I have been a little tired of being a human doing. I want to be a human being  for a while.

And this urge has become ever greater over the last few years, as the weeks and years seem to fly by ever faster and I never seem to get a minute to chill out to myself. The merry-go round of life is speeding up, not slowing down, as it seems, as I enter my thirties.

But I would like to stop this ride altogether. To slow down, to breathe, and to rediscover the simple things in life- nature, looking at the stars, reading a good book, meeting new people, and generally just living.

I went to Soundwave Croatia last week and it was amazing. Very chilled out, and laid back. As well as the music, there were swings, and seesaws, and beanbags to relax on... it felt like a playground.

What struck me is how festivals entitle us to a mode of being that we're not able to experience in the 'normal' world.

You don't see a corporate manager spinning around on a seated roundabout at a playground, do you?

But at festivals, it's normal. It's ok to do that.  It's relaxed. It's playful, and it's childlike. No one will judge you.

At festivals we are free to be who we are. Free from the burden of 'doing', we allow ourselves to slip into 'being' and take the pressure off ourselves.

Have you ever thought about how utterly unbalanced we are? That 90% of our time is spent 'doing' (working, cleaning, cooking, paying bills, emailing...) and that 10%, or probably much less than that, is time for us to just 'be'?

No wonder so many people are depressed in the Western world!

I met a couple out in Croatia who had their lives a bit more balanced (some would disagree). They spent roughly 50 % or more of their time working, and 50% planning cool trips to festivals or wherever took their fancy. Sure, they weren't rich (not by our standards), but they were glowing as people. Their eyes were sparkly, they looked calm and relaxed, and they were so friendly. They had been working and travelling the world for over 2 years.

Here's a picture of them. I never got their names, and probably will never see them again in my life.

Their life takes courage. It takes guts. And it's not something you can sustain indefinitely; at least not if you want to settle in one place, find roots and create a family.

Festivals are a way for us to experience some of that freedom on a small scale. This counter-culture is growing and growing; I see no signs of it abating because it is so desperately needed, in our souls.

Festivals are a way for us to experience our true nature as human beings- for us to feel free in a world where so many of us feel trapped.

To travel

 "The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive" - Thich Nat Hahn

Having just returned from a beautiful trip to Venice, I realised how true the saying is that travel 'broadens the mind'.

As someone who is deeply interested in consciousness and the mind, I found it fascinating how a new place can not only take us somewhere physically, but somewhere mentally as well.

One of the things I liked best about the trip was not planning anything in particular, just 'going with the flow' and taking up opportunities when it felt right or easy to do so, such as eating in a particular restaurant or visiting a particular tourist attraction.

This meant that I was in a kind of 'flow' state, a consciousness that allowed me to be open to all possibilities yet not fixed to any. My partner has taught me the value of no expectation - going into experiences without a particular attachment as to how they have to turn out, and to experience things in this way is not only beneficial for travelling, but for life in general.

One of my favourite memories was sitting on St Marks Square as sunset began to fall, and seeing the hoards of tourists taking photos of themselves just about everywhere I looked. It was so interesting to see how people of different cultures experienced such a historic place (most with selfie sticks!).

It's so easy to become ingrained into a particular culture when you live somewhere, and get used to certain ways of doing things. It doesn't necessarily mean that these things are particularly healthy for the mind, body or soul, and to reflect upon other cultures is to gaze upon humanity as a whole and decide who you are and how you would like to behave as a result.  It's certainly made me experience life in a new way, and realise that there is no need to follow what others do, just to live in your own way.

Travel also forces you to become totally attuned to the present moment, to the sights, sounds, smells, and atmosphere around you. I think its a fantastic opportunity to try bringing yourself into peace with the present moment, and to test out how your state of consciousness can have an impact on your travel experience, as well as the other way around.

Travel can certainly change you...if you let it.

Truth as a way of life

Dusky, one of my favourite artists, talks about 'Truth as a way of life' in their song Truth Capital T.

What does 'living our truth' mean?

I've been thinking about this a lot, and I think it means to live with integrity.

Being aligned with who you are, what you think, and how you feel.

Living in truth is living in alignment with your higher self - the greater part of you that we are all reaching towards, and in fact already are - we just need to realise it!

It's about when your thinking, feeling, doing and being are in alignment. What you say, and what you do, are in alignment with your values and the person you are.

It's about being who you really are, free of what other people think.

Living your truth is speaking in accordance with your highest values, acting in accordance with your highest values, and living a life that is truly aligned to what is in your heart.

The more you feel in alignment with who you are, and have the courage to express that fearlessly, the more people, situations and experiences you will attract towards you that will resonate with you.

I think that so many of us find it difficult to live our own individual truths or even know exactly what we want because we are bombarded with the way other people are living their lives or telling us how we should think and behave.

We are immersed in digital media bubbles, and the only way out of them into our own true existence is to turn our attention inwards and listen to our own inner voice.

You know what lights you up. You know what you love talking about. You know what gets you angry and pushes your buttons, what you believe in. You know what you hold dear to you, above all else. These are your truths. And no matter how different they seem to be from anyone else, these are yours.