Branding is complex, bruh!

Some of the most brilliant people on the planet are branding geniuses. Branding is that thing, the why, the essence of your business. Defining your brand will be easy if you have a plan.

Branding done right can grow your business. Whether you are branding for yourself or a large enterprise, do it correctly the first time.

I’m not just talking about colors and logos. Think “the soul” of your brand. If you have not defined your brand, everything else you do will lack focus. With lackluster focus, you leave room for your audience to look elsewhere.

Most people need to do better when planning their brand strategy. Most people jump right into naming their business and building a logo. While you may create something visually appealing, what does it mean? Do your assets have a soul?

No? Keep reading.

I know you want to jump right into the "fun" visual part of branding. I'm an artist with a genuine love for many aspects of the arts. The visual elements of branding are also attractive to me, so I get it. The beauty of the art, though, lies in the story that brought it to life.

Let's jump into how to tell a brand story.

Create the story of your brand to feed its soul.

To make your powerful brand, we will discuss the significant steps in (3) parts. Part 1 is all about crafting the story of you.

You are the story for your brand and your business. It starts with you. We will explore the following tips for you to complete to build your brand foundation:

• Knowing Who You Are
• Personal Vision, Mission & Values
• Build a Visual Bio

Imagine climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the volcano in Tanzania, without a map. How successful of a climb would you have? The same can be said for building a business without context.

Let’s look at a few tips to provide the context for brand building:

Tip #01: Knowing Who You Are

Could you tell someone who you are in 30 seconds or less?

Who you are is a point-in-time position. You are evolving through experiences every day. Defining "you" right now might be challenging if you haven't done it before.

I have explored "Know Thy Self" in the past. Today, I'd like to focus on your journaling for self-reflection.

Grab your favorite notetaking tool. Pick a few questions below to start journaling your way to knowing yourself.

• Passion & Interests: What activities, topics, or subjects genuinely excite and engage you?
• Personal Values: What principles, morals, or beliefs are most important to you?
• Goals and aspirations: What do you want to achieve personally or professionally? Draw a picture of what it looks like.
• Life Experiences: How have past experiences influenced your thoughts, feelings, or perspectives?
• Area of Growth: Which aspects of your life would you like to improve or develop further?
• Words that Define You: Pick 20 words that define who you are. Ask a few friends to circle their top (3) from your choices.

There are no wrong answers to who you are.

Tip #02: Personal Vision, Mission & Values

Knowing your traits and experiences helps when considering a 30-second pitch. You will have to do more soul-searching to make it real.

Let's start with a shared definition of a few terms: Vision, Mission, and Values.

Vision: (1) a desired future state. (2) an inspirational roadmap that paints a future picture of where you want to go, including high-level goals and methods to achieve this state.

Mission: (1) reason for being. (2) one sentence that shares the "how" or "steps" to achieve the vision in the short term.

Values: (1) boundaries, (2) core beliefs and assumptions, (3) shared beliefs in norms and ways of working that evolve, typically unwritten and unstated.

Nick's Personal Statement

My goal is to be the best husband, father, son, and friend to my loved ones. I will to give back to the world through service. I will serve through my lens of creative innovation, thought leadership, and investment in the growth of people.

Mission: To love unconditionally and help others in ways that make a positive impact.

Values: Creativity, Love, Passion, Dedication, Growth

Using this statement as an example, could you create your own? There is no right or wrong answer here. Additionally, a first draft is better than no draft.

Tip #03: Build a Vision Bio

For all the visual learners and creatives out there, this process is for you. You may have heard of a vision board. A visual bio is different.

A visual bio records essential moments from your life that you create after reflecting on them. The visual bio highlights a through-line of those milestones that represent you.

You can create a visual bio by mapping out your life in sessions. Here are the significant elements of the process:

Here is an example of a completed visual one-page bio.

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The Pro Tip: The final product could be a one-page visual journey map, video,  or online experience. The possibilities are endless. Don't hesitate to contact me for a 1:1 Discovery Session if you prefer me to Do it For You (DIFY).

Your Homework: Grab your journal now and jot down a few notes from today's article.

This article is Part One of a three-part series.

Part 2: Brand Strategy

1. What Do You Stand For
2. Research: Audience, Competition,
3. Finding Gaps in the Market; Differentiation
4. Brand Persona
5. Positioning

Part 3: Brand Assets

1. Name Your Brand
2. Color Palette
3. Typography
4. Logo
5. Brand Guidelines

Next Steps: You will receive Part 2 and Part 3 this week via email.