Did you think knowing your brand vision would help you make every decision for marketing your business?
How many marketing or design decisions have you made in the last year?
Have you put off making any of those decisions?
Maybe you haven’t created your marketing plan, redesigned your website, or selected brand collateral because you don’t want to make a mistake, or you never seem to have time to devote to think through your decision?
Let me share a quote with you. Now, first off—as you’ll notice by the words used, this quote is a little dare I say “vintage”, BUT it’s golden! Consider yourself forewarned that I’m going to get a little old-school on you (well, only like 1970s old-school), but where there’s glean of wisdom, we have to learn from it.
It says:
“On an important decision, one rarely has 100% of the information needed for a good decision no matter how much one spends or how long one waits. And, if one waits too long, he has a different problem and has to start all over. This is the terrible dilemma of the hesitant decision maker.” – Robert K. Greenleaf, The Servant Leader
As a creative of any kind, photographer or event planner, we’ve all been hesitant about making a decision at some point on our business journeys.
But, there is ONE thing—that above all others—helps you make every decision for your marketing and design and make them so much faster and more confidently.
That one thing is knowing… your vision.
And before you roll your eyes at me, because, “Yes, yes! You’ve heard this before,” let me tell you—I’m not talking about having an elegantly written or fascinating why. I’m not even talking about coming up with a profound “origin story.”
I’m talking about coming up with a clear and simple vision that becomes the GPS that automatically directs your business decisions and shouts at you when you need to reroute and take a different path. (You have had to have heard Siri say “route recalculating” at one point or another.”
Your brand vision is simply what drives you; it’s where you want to go.
Your vision could point to your family, kids, freedom, mental health, space, clarity, etc.
You probably started your business because you caught a glimpse of a vision for yourself, your family, or your kids. As you get one, two, or seven years into business, that vision often becomes clouded and many entrepreneurs get stuck.
If you’re feeling stuck or have no idea where to start, don’t worry! I am here for you. If you are ready for a clearer vision so you can make better, faster, and more confident decisions, let’s get started.
How to PinPoint a Clear Business Vision So You Can Get Unstuck and Make Better and Faster Decisions
We’re going to short circuit the deep dive into finding your vision not because I want to be shallow, but because I want you to have a quick win so that you can move forward. With that in mind, I’ve taken two concepts out of the brand foundation book I give to my clients when I work with them and distilled down two steps to help you quickly and identify your vision.
01. Ask Why Four Times
As you likely know, strong brands operate from a place of why and have a clear grasp of the values, goals, and mission at the core of their work. People buy into why you do what you do more than they buy into what you do. So, the question becomes:
Why are you doing what you’re doing?
Once you answer that, I want you to drill down 3 more times. You’re going to look at your answer and say, “why?” about your response. Here’s an example of what that looks like for me—a brand designer.
- WHY are you doing what you’re doing? Because I love to design pretty things, have time freedom for my husband and son, and help others do the same.
- WHY do you love to design pretty things and have time freedom? Because beauty inspires, lifts people’s moods, and makes them feel peace and positivity. Because life is too short and I want to savor every moment I have with my son and husband, and I want other people to feel good and savor moments, too
- WHY do you want people to be inspired, feel good, and savor moments? Because we only have one life and we can waste it feeling awful, being uninspired and stressed, and forced to miss out on family time because we’re stuck in a job we hate or we can fill our days with beauty and choose to do what we love with who we love.
- WHY do you want people to fill their days with beauty and choose to do what they love with who they love, and why do you want to? Because everyone deserves to feel happy and be surrounded by people, places, and things that foster feelings of inspiration, possibility, and hope.
Do you see how I drilled each response down until I kept getting clearer and more precise? That’s what you’re going to do.
02. Picture the Future
Now, to easily identify a general vision you can latch on to, let’s picture it. I want you to free write, at first.
- Picture your future—what does it look like?
As you answer that, I want you to picture how both your business and home life look. - What goals do you have for your brand?
Beyond just revenue or client goals, what kind of impact do you want to have in your client’s life or in your marketplace? - Beyond just revenue or client goals, what kind of impact do you want to have in your client’s life or in your marketplace?
What about your vision for your future and goals inspires you?
What about your vision and goals keeps you excited, fired up, and motivated?
When you answer these three questions, every decision in your business becomes easier because you KNOW what you want to achieve in the future, and you’re more confident that you’re taking the right steps to get where you need to be and want to end up.
When you’re confident in your decisions because your vision and goals guide them, it’s only a matter of time until your brand vision becomes a reality, and then you begin the process of crafting a NEWER, even bigger vision than you imagined.
If being intentional about your brand and brand collateral is a goal you have for your business so that you can reach your future vision AND you’re ready to make that decision, I would love to help you.
If you are ready for your very own “Unforgettable Brand” and have me as your guide, check out my “tailor-made” brand experience service. This is where I take you on an exciting brand adventure starting with your brand foundation. Then we add as much or as little as you’re looking for and what your business needs. This could include brand collateral like welcome packets or stationery, and a website with messaging that attracts your very own dream clients. It is genuinely tailored to your budget and your needs.
