take a step back | redefining brand jargon
Hey founders, how many times a quarter do you have these thoughts?
Our branding is pretty weak. The website needs a refresh. Our marketing materials are outdated. No one has time to manage our social media accounts. Bottom line—our brand is not represented accurately in the marketplace.
You’re slightly uncomfortable, on edge, self-conscious, and little embarrassed.
It’s like the time I called in sick at Dairy Queen when I was 16 years old to attend Homecoming. Through classic peer pressure, I chose to sporadically borrow a friend’s dress that was too tight (in all the wrong ways) and throw on a pair of her shoes that had an odor to this day I cannot place.
I showed up to the dance surrounded by peers, the cute boy from Algebra, my teachers, and close friends. I attempted to dance in a dress that did not represent me, in shoes that weren't my size, wearing makeup that was not my shade. Because I carried an invisible current of insecurity, the evening ranked below mediocre.
It doesn’t feel great to be misrepresented in front of your community.
Taking the time to build an authentic, compelling, and “This is Me” branding strategy will transform your communications efforts.
It starts with being comfortable using baseline brand-related jargon.The communications industry uses all sorts of hogwash to convey simple things. So let’s get on the page, mmk?
Here is my pocket dictionary:
Brand | A name
Branding | Personality characteristics that kickstart emotive reactions
Brand touchpoint | A place where words/visuals appear on behalf of the brand
Brand therapy | Clarifying treatment that helps articulate a brand’s existence (I’ll talk more about this in future articles - have no fear.)
Wanna see it in play?
My brand is Curated Compass. Our branding is light-hearted, collaborative, and empathetic. Our primary brand touchpoints are LinkedIn, Instagram, and email conversations.
TED is a brand. Their branding is inspirational, open -minded, and diverse. Their primary brand touchpoints are events, YouTube, and Facebook.
Creative Mornings is a brand. Their branding is creative, bold, and inclusive. Their primary brand touchpoints are in-person events, email newsletter, and their social networking tool CreativeGuild.
