by admin | May 18, 2018 | Brand and Biz
You probably have an idea of what a brand is that is polished and tweaked into perfection. You might also think of a brand as something that is corporate or created to sell a product.
I want to get you to stop thinking about a brand as something your create and start thinking about it as something authentic, something natural, something that comes from who you already are.
Like all great life lessons, this one begins with the same old same old truth that all answers come from within. Nothing exists outside of YOU.
Sit with this truth and let it ease your fears, cease your striving and dissolve your insecurities.
Next time you see a drool worthy feel or a perfectly polished website that makes you feel inferior, celebrate it! Remember this truth: your brand will be completely you. Your feed will be completely YOU. There is no one, not one single person out there who can do what you do the way you do it.
You are a beacon of light, you are a miracle. Your gifts are an extension of divine love.
Take your envy and let it fuel you into refining the answer to this question:
1. What do I give that makes me come alive?
Take one offering that you already have and make it more inline with this answer. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel just yet, you just need to make a small adjustment towards your joy.
If you don’t have offerings yet, brainstorm how you can give what excites you in a way that will also pay you. Money is just an exchange for the value you offer.
Don’t wait until tomorrow. Don’t perfect it, just move towards joy and share that in your social media, your newsletter or with your clients.
Doing this on a regular basis will make your brand and business stand out because you will give more of you to it.
The foundation of a great ‘brand’ is your passion, your joy and your creativity shining through.
by admin | May 18, 2018 | Brand and Biz
The word brand kind of bugs me. It has become a catch all for the essence of you, your voice, your aesthetic and your shared gifts. When I hear all of this summarized by the word brand it feels pretty blah.
So let’s throw the word away and focus on the much bigger concepts I just mentioned. Those concepts feel juicy, exciting and expansive!
When I sit down with clients to start our first brainstorming session this is where we start and there is one question that I always include:
What three words describe the impact you want to have?
These words should feel impactful, authentic and you.
Sometimes we start with a list of ten words and then whittle it down to what feel like the top three. You have to go with your gut and choose the words that evoke enthusiasm and excitement. If you’re struggling to choose, you should try describing them all out loud to a friend. When you hit on what’s true for you your voice will sound more certain.
A few examples of how this might sound are:
inspired, uplifted, joyful
energized, clear, confident
peaceful, certain, still
The three words that you distill your essence into can be your filter from now on. These words are like your northern star and will inform your aesthetic and your message. Make sure that from now on anything you put out in the world communicates the feel of these words and your ‘brand’ will start to blossom.
by admin | May 18, 2018 | Brand and Biz
If you are anything like me, you might occasionally decide to go off-line from posting from time to time. It can feel daunting to pop back out in the world, especially if you tend to be introverted!
Here are some social media truths that you can turn to if you have sunk into hibernation mode, are naturally introverted, or are feeling like it just isn’t ‘you.’
1. Social media is your friend.
You know those days where you feel crummy and then EVERYTHING seems to go wrong or irritate you? If you are honest with yourself, you can likely admit that it is your mood and perspective derailing your day.
You can turn this around by acting as if everything is trying to support you and give you love. How would your day go if you walked through life imagining that every person you meet, every circumstance you encounter and every opportunity that comes your way is a gift from the universe just for you.
Now, take this attitude and apply it to social media! Social media is an enormous web of people who need to hear your voice, who need to benefit from your light and who want to give you love back.
2. Simplicity is your friend.
Stop agonizing over the content and go back to basics. Think of what it is that you offer that gives others joy. Write about one idea related to this now.
Remember, you don’t have to be every where, mastering every platform. Pick the one or two social media channels that you actually enjoy and focus your energy there! Pinterest for example, is a great place for introverts to explore whereas Facebook may feel too busy. It’s okay to embrace what feels good to you.
3. A plan is your friend.
As in other areas of life, anxiety tends to pop up when we don’t feel we know what we are doing or the rules of the game. Do yourself a favour and make a game plan.
Here’s the fastest way to do this:
- List 8-10 general topics that your ideal client wants to hear about and you want to share about and rotate a post on each of these. Be sure to have fun with them! Topics might be things like this: behind the scenes, tips from a stylist, favourite travel spots, office decorating tips etc.
- Collect 5-10 images on each topic from above and have a folder on your phone with all of these images.
Now you’ve got four friends that are definitely on your side: social media, simplicity, a plan, and me. Plus there are all of the people out there on social media who want to appreciate your gifts, so do yourself a favour and share something!
I’d love it if you could tag me @lisaborinmiller so I can like your post and applaud you too.
