5 Tips to Overcome a Brand Identity Crisis
A friend of mine recently reached out in a panic saying, "I think I'm having a brand identity crisis."
Her current business offerings are positioned in a way that no long feel aligned with her soul mission and she had no idea what to do.
I see this happen a lot and have even experienced it a few times myself over the course of the last few years, myself.
Has this ever happened to you?
Well, before we get under the hood and you hit delete on your website, I've got some good news...
A brand identity crisis is a GOOD thing.
It means you're evolving.
It means you're listening to that little voice inside guiding you towards what's meant for you.
It means there's room for greater growth and expansion.
So before you delete your entire list (the one you've worked so hard to create) and send out a dramatic "It's not you, it's me" existential crisis-style newsletter...
Let's talk about a few ways to approach this next phase of life and business.
Here are a few of the tips I shared with my friend and I've learned myself as I've shifted my business from a web design/coaching studio model to a straight brand and business coaching, group programs + live events - personal brand focus.
1. Start by getting clear on what's off
Do you not like designing websites or are you attracting the wrong clients because you're freaking out about money and you'll take anything that comes your way?
Are you tired of talking about the product you represent and want to talk more about your personal development journey instead?
Are you just feeling like the old way of doing things isn't working anymore, but you've told yourself that in order to be successful you have to do it in a "certain" way?
If you nodded your head to any of the above questions, this is, again, great news...
You are CLEAR on what's not working and when we're clear on what we don't want, it immediately directs us to what we DO want.
ACTION ITEM:
Begin by writing down a list of all of the things that are feeling less awesome these days and then move on to step 2.
2. Evaluate the scope the misalignment
Ok, so now that we're clear on what's not working, let's dig a little deeper:
Is it that you are tired of the product you're selling or is it that you feel like your soul is being sucked out every time you pull up to do a presentation?
Is it that you're sick of writing content about your area of expertise in the voice and style you've been writing it or do you feel like you're going to die if you have to do one more webinar or Facebook live talking about this topic?
You know that feeling when you're in a relationship, but you're heart is no longer in it and every, single thing feels AWKWARD?
ACTION ITEM:
On a scale of 1-10 (1 being awful, 10 being sparkles + sunshine), go back up to the list of things from number 1 and evaluate how unbearable this particular aspect feels inside your business.
Once you have this evaluation scale mapped out, it will serve as a roadmap to figure out what we need to address first.
3. Get honest with yourself about where this is really coming from?
You're growing.
You're expanding your horizons and you want to talk about what feels exciting to you.
We don't watch the same episode of our favorite Netflix series over and over and over again, right?
We move on, excitedly, to the next one.
The story progresses and so do we AND our brands and businesses.
The notion that you are supposed to stay stagnant is absurd and it's not going to feel very authentic for your clients in the long run.
ACTION ITEM:
Jot down what you think this is really about and notice what's starting to be revealed for you.
Before we proceed, let me call a little TIMEOUT....
You might be thinking...
"But what about the former versions of me coming in all the time looking for _(fill in the blank product I already have)_, so it's my job to make sure I have that available to them."
Yes, you are 100% correct, AND that's why automated online systems exist.
The products you made when you were uber-excited about them will contain your excitement about them in the emails you've written, the landing pages you've created and the systems that HOLD the digi-products you've already crafted.
The even better news?
You can continue to make money from those products serving your growing audience while you are creating NEW products and services that are the 2.0 level of Brand You.
(Hint: This is why authors write new books all the time and why bookstores sell all of the books they've written).
The Brand You Train gets to span the work of your lifetime...
Are you following mer?
Our final and most vital step in this process is to focus on what matters most of all...
4. Remember the secret sauce.
YOU, my friend, are the secret sauce inside your brand and business (most especially, those of us who are personal brands).
You doing you and talking about the things you're fascinated with and excited about is the surest way to inspire your audience.
I know you might be thinking, "Me doing me means I need to throw dynamite at my brand."
That might be the case (promise me you will follow steps 1-4 before lighting that match), BUT...not without a bigger conversation or going to number 5...
5. Innovate to feel great!
This one is ALL about ACTION:
How can you INNOVATE your current offerings?
Where can you differentiate what you're doing in a way that is not only more exciting to you and more engaging for your audience, but simultaneously positions you to make greater impact (which makes way for greater income).
How can you dust off the old tired approach you've been pushing and add some pizazz?
Just think about how StitchFix innovated shopping for clothes and Starbucks reimagined the coffee experience.
What does that look like for you?
Tap in to a few of my favorite places for innovation inspiration...
Read Blue Ocean Strategy and listen to the How I Built This podcast.
Think dynamically or plug in to a group of fellow-preneurs who have innovative brains and are willing to help you spitball on how to differentiate your products/services.
Reframe Alert: A brand identity crisis is exciting...it's the opportunity to make like Madonna and reinvent yourself.
The good news is that you are thinking differently and more dynamically about the problem you are trying to help you clients solve.
You are a living and breathing and ever-evolving soul...
Congratulations, love, you are ALIVE.
I'm excited to see what you come up with.
And if you need help in working through it, schedule a free Brand + Business Breakthrough Session right here so we can roll up our sleeves together.