Create a list of words your brand avoids.

Create a list of words your brand avoids. Just as brands should know how they want to be understood, they should also know how they don’t want to be perceived. Create a list of words that your brand should avoid using. For instance, does your brand offer value? If so, what kind? Does it offer […]

Create a list of words your brand loves.

Create a list of words your brand loves. People love words – and so should brands. By creating a list of words your brand associates with, you can develop an effective and consistent way to talk about your brand that can be applied throughout your organization. These words can also guide your SEO efforts, marketing […]

Brand clarity is what separates leading brands and everyone else.

Brand clarity is what separates leading brands and everyone else. Our work with brands of all sizes and stages has shown one consistent fact: clarity sells.Best-in-class brands are ruthlessly clear about three things: Presence People Purpose These three factors separate the clarified from the unclarified, the brands that thrive from the brands that die. We […]

Is there a gap between how your brand is perceived and how you want it to be perceived?

Is there a gap between how your brand is perceived and how you want it to be perceived? Brand managers are often surprised to find their brand’s intended image disconnected from its perceived image. Your brand can have a clear value proposition with consistent messaging, but it won’t matter if those two things speak to […]

Know exactly what your brand promises.

Know exactly what your brand promises. Imagine you build the most lavish three-legged table in the world. You begin making it for a customer. Its base is sculpted from solid mahogany, each leg gracefully curved and carved with Baroque flourishes gilded in 24-karat gold leaf. In its deep, glossy surface you see the reflection of […]

Clarity in brand needs clarity in messaging.

Clarity in brand needs clarity in messaging. Customers are drawn to clarity—because clarity creates simplicity. When a brand is clear, it feels effortless. Messaging resonates, decisions come easily, and customers instinctively know they’re in the right place.But when a brand lacks clarity, it creates friction. Confusing messaging. Scattered positioning. The wrong audience. Instead of simplicity, […]

consider what core challenges your brand exists to solve.

consider what core challenges your brand exists to solve. The single most important aspect of brand clarity is knowing the core challenge your brand exists to solve.

 Clarified brands do this. They know which customers they serve and understand how to speak confidently about the value they offer.

 Brands that lack clarity frustrate their customers […]

What do your customers all agree on?

What do your customers all agree on? Every brand should know and understand its primary customers – but it should also work to understand the broad areas of agreement among all of its customers. Some of these areas of agreement may be: Beliefs Goals Motivations Frustrations Concerns Regulations   Discovering the common threads that unite […]

Learn your customers’ blind spots (and don’t take them personally).

Learn your customers’ blind spots (and don’t take them personally). Blind spots are areas where your customers lack awareness or understanding of either the challenge they face or the solution they need. These can be frustrations, roadblocks, and pain points. To address these blind spots, your brand needs to understand not just its customers’ problems, […]

Learn the difference between customer goals and motivations.

Learn the difference between customer goals and motivations. Learning the difference between goals and motivations can help brands understand their tribe’s customer journey. A goal is what your tribe wants to achieve most. A motivation is the fuel that powers their decisions, which can be both emotional or practical in nature. Sometimes, goals and motivations […]