Balqis Osman

Overwhelm and disconnect is a symptom of a larger issue - be sure to identify the root causes and not just identify “quick fixes”. While a pizza party, if I may borrow from a scenario too often quoted, is a fun bandaid, you have to dig deep especially when there’s a pattern. Are you onboarding correctly and giving your team the right tools to do their work? Are you ensuring the right priorities and not overworking team members? What are the different personalities within the team and how can you encourage true connection, collaboration and cohesion? Taking a step back and evaluating together as a team can help you remove roadblocks and set the right tone and move forward successfully.

If you can’t get the buy-in on the importance of brand strategy, it might not be worth your mental health to fight against a system that isn’t looking to accept strategic ways of thinking. It’s a mismatch in values and goals, and that’s ok. You could run workshops, do lots of research, and build the most compelling case with strong data, but ultimately the decision is in their hands. Don’t be disheartened as you’ve only deepened your skillset and strengthened your ability as a brand strategist. Look out for leaders and work environments that embrace higher level strategic thinking and you’ll find yourself thriving again!

At the very core of your branding should be your WHY that resonates with the emotions of your audience. Your “why” should be relevant and interesting, speaking to a mission that moves those who come across your brand, whether or not they end up buying with you. It is from this why that you can weave brand stories that will carry your social posts, ad and even web copy to be powerful tools for genuine connection.

Sometimes, feeling stuck is a sign of misalignment to what you truly are looking for in your career (or life)! Perhaps a fresh perspective is required - if it’s possible for you, take a sabbatical, go back to school and take up a course on something that piques your interest and not just “something you should do”. Start a side hustle which will force you to learn important new skills - marketing, sales, finance and everything in between. Volunteer and give back to your community to open up your mind and your circle. Whatever you learn will influence your experience and skillset, it’s up to you on how to steer the narrative. Don’t be afraid to do things differently!

If you don’t have your ideal customer in mind when developing your brand, you will not be able to build a brand that resonates with them. Before you start your branding exercise, really get to know who you are trying to target as a company and work out how you can speak to their problems and goals. Get to know them as real human beings and not just elusive “customers” or numbers you are trying to sell to. Knowing who your customers are will help you through strategising your brand image, tone, values and personality to truly build a brand that resonates and connects with people, no matter what your product or solution is.

After you lay down your brand core, decide on your tone of voice that matches your brand! Be serious, playful, tongue-in-cheek, whatever you want - just make it cohesive. And stick to it. It’s often overlooked, but it forms an important part of your brand’s personality. Your emails can’t sound like it’s coming from 10 different people each time! Your audience won’t understand what you stand for or what you want from them without this cohesion.