Does your branding strum the right chords?

You need to be seen and heard for the right reasons.

This means communicating your thoughts, your message, and your values powerfully through content that seamlessly aligns with the original lyrics of your ‘song’. In other words, the purpose you set out to build your business upon, the change and impact you want to create. Your branding has many touch points throughout your clients journey – it can educate, intrigue, inspire, encourage, empower. Filtering through to attract those who share the same values. Strumming the right chords.

If the melody was in full alignment how would that feel?

For instance, waking up each morning excited to start the tasks. Creating solutions that meet and exceed your clients needs. Consequently making others happy in what you’ve achieved together. Perhaps you simplify or streamline a process. Make something easier to understand. Showcase them at their best. Help them to improve productivity. Resulting in you inspiring them to be their all, to bring their innate skills and talents to the world.

Wouldn’t this feel incredible? So what’s going on that blocks out ‘your song’ from being heard?

There are 3 key syndromes that muffle or talk over you:
  • Monster’ syndrome, fears that stifle confidence and growth. Lurking behind your each and every move. Preventing you from reaching your full potential.
  • ‘Squirrel’ syndrome, energetically collating all the information you need; the “how to’s’”, “what you should be doing”, and storing it away in various notebooks and files then following the lead for the next piece of tempting advice that will be sure to help on your journey.
  • ‘Magpie’ syndrome, excitingly hopping from one inspiration to the next, discovering new ideas, techniques, tools and shiny finds that you can adapt and make fit with what you’re doing.

These 3 characters create ‘busy tasks’, consuming huge amounts of your time and energy. They therefore need to be kept in check as left to their own devices they will halter you from making any progress.

However, managed in the right way they can be used for good:

    • ‘Monster’ motivator – use the fear to motivate you to succeed. Identify why you feel afraid, what would be the worst thing that could happen if your fear came true? After that, what would be the worst thing that would happen if you gave into your fear and didn’t try? What would you miss out on?
    • ‘Squirrel’ forager – be focused, collect only the information you need now to take you to the next step, and act upon it. Similarly use it before the ‘foraged goods’ you’ve found, start to ‘deteriorate’ or you forget where you squirrelled them away!
    • Magpie’ innovator, train your magpie to look for solutions when you get stuck, or you are developing something new. This could be to help simplify, or to solve a solution. Always set a time limit for both squirrel and magpie activities to avoid getting distracted from your focus.

There’s no one defined path to create your successful business.

As entrepreneurs we adapt, experiment, discover and forge our own path forwards – with the focus of finding the perfect fit that meets the vision of lifestyle and intent we started out with. However, the problem is that all your wonderful energy and enthusiasm can get drained with the amount of overwhelm, decision making, and frustrations, that certainly come part and parcel with creating and running your own business.

  • It’s easy to lose sight of that initial vision you set out with
  • To get lost doing ‘busy tasks’ in the hope of finding the solution you need
  • It gets crowded and pulled in different directions as other ‘voices’ join your ‘song’. Moreover, bringing their own opinions and unique take until it gets to the point you don’t recognise your ‘song’ any more.

Your original melody line, that is to say your purpose, is muffled beneath all these extra layers of well meaning advice, new ways, fears and doubts which plunge you into those busy tasks feeding the 3 characters. As a result, distracting away from your core message and purpose.

These busy tasks and extra layers didn’t enhance your core message or align with your values.

Press PAUSE.

It’s time to take a step back and review. To listen to the acoustic version of your ‘song’. To hear if you branding is strumming the right chords.

  • your original intent:
    • what makes you shine?
    • your unique skills and talents
    • what change / difference you can make?
    • why is it important? What vision do you have?
  • your ideal client:
    • what are they struggling with?
    • discover their aspirations?
    • what are their needs?
    • how do they discover you?
  • your branding:
    • is it communicating a cohesive message?
    • how does it make people feel?
    • are there areas you are struggling to connect / make work?
    • what can you change to create an incredible, unique experience?

In conclusion, it’s absolutely okay for your answers to evolve and change as you grow and define your path, but everything needs to be singing from the same song sheet. Subsequently taking it back to the acoustics, reveals the notes that strike a chord with your clients and yourself. It aligns you back with your purpose and intent.

Similarly, having this clarity helps define the design brief for each piece of content you need to create. For example informing the style, the message, the colour palette, the finish, through to the delivery.

What’s your acoustic version of your brand? What positive impact could your brand make in someone’s life today?

Contact Becks today about your brand



Becks Neale is a Dorset Designer & Brand Consultant, working alongside charities, community initiatives and purpose-led organisations to achieve a brand they love and live, by distilling their brand story.

Design to tell your story.
becksneale.co.uk

© inkshed design studio

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