This article was written by Sue Painter and posted on Confident Marketer. Thought it would be a great resource for the Indiana Women Small Business Owners Network. Enjoy! — Diana Beam
I’m living proof that brand clarity can happen when you’re on the road. The Confident Marketer brand was born as a result of sitting with a group of women after a silent meditation retreat in North Carolina’s mountains. Someone asked me about my work. At the time, I called myself a consultant for people who wanted to leave the corporate world and start a business. One of the women said, “I’d like to start a business, but I’m not confident enough to market it.” In the next 2 minutes every one of the other 7 women nodded and said, “I already own my own business, but I need to be a more confident marketer.” Right then and there, I became clear on my brand.
I’m giving you an excuse to take a trip – to travel and at the same time gain brand clarity. An excuse to see someplace new and let what needs to change come to you as you occupy your mind and heart with new sights and sounds.
Why does travel help you see the answers to your questions more clearly?
- Chances are you are hanging around people who are not positively supporting you right now.
- It’s a good bet that you are tired of “thinking about it” day after day as you do your daily work routine.
- Routine life does not support change. It tends to keep you stuck in a rut.
As entrepreneurs, we grow and change constantly. Your client base changes over time, as well. What once worked for your brand might not be working so well anymore. Of the hundreds of clients I’ve worked with, almost every one of them needed to get clear about their brand – who they are, what they do. Every one of them had solid expertise in their industry, but didn’t know how to translate their expertise into a brand from which they could create income. Or, they have been successful but they are now bored and tired.
6 Signs That You Need To Hone in On Your Brand
You need brand clarity if you struggle with questions like:
- What is the essence of what I do?
- What should I call what I do with my clients?
- How do I talk about what I do so that a prospective client understands it?
- I’m tired of doing the same thing over and over, and want to change things around, but how?
- I’m working hard but not making much income, so I’ve got to do something different
- I feel antsy and stuck and want something different.
The single, fastest, best way to get the clutter out of your brain and gain some clarity is to change your environment. Take a trip. Travel out of your usual setting and make sure you build in some time alone. You’ll be amazed at the different perspective you can gain while you’re traveling and having a little fun.
Here are my 8 steps for gaining brand clarity by taking a trip.
- Take a minimum of 4 days to go somewhere else.
- If you’re with others, build in at least 2 half days to be by yourself.
- Introduce yourself to strangers and ask what they do.
- Walk through a market or a downtown area and watch how local businesses work.
- Take something to write with so that you can jot down the ideas that will come to you.
- Rest – try not to keep to a particular schedule.
- Be open to ideas when they hit – you’re brainstorming the what, not the how.
- Set an intention to rest, recreate, and let your mind wander.
One way to radically change your thoughts (which we know affect feelings, which in turn drive your actions, which then become results) is to give yourself a change of environment.
It’s time to make a reservation and hit the road. If you are harboring negative and guilty thoughts, remind yourself that you are the shepherd of your business and your soul, and right now they need a change of environment.
Getting clear about yourself and your business is the essence of brand clarity. Travel – that’s the icing on the cake. It broadens your mind and turns your creativity on. You can read more here about my own laptop life. In the meanwhile, get going, and get the brand clarity you’ve been looking for.