Visualize the logo of a brand you love. Now, think about three words you associate with that brand.
When it comes to your business or career, you want people picturing specific things when they think of you. But in order to do that, you need to be intentional about establishing who you are and what it’s like to work with you. Think of this as your brand tattoo. It’s something timeless that never leaves you.
You want to tattoo who you are onto the heads, hearts and hands of the people you serve. Every single day, how you show up for your customer, how you comment, how you respond, how you do what you do—that leaves an imprint on everyone who crosses your path.
Start by writing down answers to these questions:
- What impact do I want to make on the world? What difference am I trying to make on an ongoing basis? What does that look like?
- What have I been through in my own journey that allows me to speak with any level of authority or insight? Have I embraced what makes me me?
- What results have I generated thus far that point to the difference I’m making?
Then, begin to infuse your brand throughout your business:
1. Only accept projects that are on-brand.
When a new opportunity presents itself, ask yourself: Is this on-brand for me? Will this contribute to the impact I intend to make?
When you’re off-brand, you’ll feel like you’re chasing shiny objects because you’re out of alignment. When you’re on-brand, you’ll feel like you’re in flow because you’re making an authentic contribution toward your intended impact.
2. Get inspiration from other leaders and influencers who are not in your industry.
Resist the temptation to focus only on your competitors—you’re likely to fall into the trap of imitating someone else. Instead, seek ideas from outside your industry. Don’t copy, but gain inspiration and strategy that you can uniquely translate into your own work.
For example, I’ve always been fascinated by how comedians brand themselves with a style of joke. I’m not a comedian, but I can apply that strategy to what I do.
3. Remember: What got you here won’t get you there.
Your brand should be timeless, but the way you translate it will change over time. Think about the brand you visualized at the beginning of this article. Have their product offerings changed? Has their messaging changed over time? Has their aesthetic changed?
Remain open to being taken in a fresh direction while also staying true to your principles and area of impact.
Now, visualize your own brand tattoo. What do you see?
Read next: The 12 Brand Archetypes: Which One Are You?
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
Photo by Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com
