Did you ever get the feeling that something in your business doesn’t feel right? You start to get a little gnawing feeling you can’t identify. It’s not that things are dramatically wrong, but they aren’t exactly right either. Maybe you have some clients coming in, but the business still isn’t really taking off. Or you could even have a more steady stream of clients, but you just aren’t as excited to work with them as you used to be.
What’s going on?
You could be in the wrong shoes, brand shoes that is.
Remember when you were a kid. One day you’d be running around in your Hush Puppies and the next, your little piggies would be banging up against the edges. It can be like that with your brand too. You are plugging along in your business feeling like everything is fine until you realize everything is not fine. You may not be sure why, but you know you don’t feel good. Something is being pinched, and that thing is your brand.
Your brand is not a static entity. You don’t just set it and go. Your brand is continually evolving because YOU are evolving. Just like the kid whose shoes get too tight, you can outgrow your brand. And if you don’t pay attention, you start to get very uncomfortable.
You start out having a love fest with your clients. You adore them, they love you and you are excited to help them overcome their challenges. Over time though, you start noticing you are not as excited as you used to be. You still love your clients as people, but thinking about addressing the same needs over and over again starts to feel a little boring.
That’s because you may have mastered the skill of meeting that particular need and now it’s time for a new challenge. Or instead of a new challenge it may be time to go deeper with your clients. Whatever, the solution turns out to be, you know what you are doing now is leaving you feeling dissatisfied.
Another reason things may not feel right is because you did not nail your brand to begin with. Hey, we’ve all been there. You see a sexy little heel and you can’t resist even though it doesn’t fit perfectly. You think you can get by and tolerate any discomfort, but after wearing them for more than ten minutes, you start to realize it wasn’t the right choice.
Listen, there is no judgement here. I’ve had a closet full of very pretty, very uncomfortable shoes in my day. However, when you are talking about brands, the last thing you want to do is walk around in something that doesn’t support who you are and where you are going.
If you’ve come to the realization you are in a growth or re-direct phase with your brand, don’t panic. Actually, even though it may not seem like it at first, this is a really exciting time. You are about to up-level your business and your life for that matter. The scary part is shifting into what feels like the unknown. To make it easier, instead of thinking about re-branding as moving out into the abyss, try to think about it as coming home to yourself.
Even though what we currently have can feel uncomfortable, at least we are familiar with the cracks and crevices of the landscape we’ve created thus far. However, familiarity and bliss are wildly differently emotions. So many us cling to what we know and in so doing sacrifice what could be.
When we hold on to what we think should have been, we cannot open our arms to what is in front of us.–Carole Sacino
Bliss, you may think? Yes, bliss. There is nothing more wonderful than feeling like you are deeply connected to your passions and creativity. When you bring those together with your other natural aptitudes and strengths to make unique contributions to the world, that is bliss.
Figuring it all out may not be easy, but at the same time, it may not be that hard either. It just depends on your willingness to be open and move from what you know to what’s possible. It may take some effort, but come on, isn’t bliss worth a little sweat? It’s certainly better than getting blisters on your brand.
If you are feeling the pinch and thinking about a re-brand, I invite you to give me a holler at heather@clearvoicebranding.com for a FREE Brand Clarity Session to see how we can find you a better fit.
Your feedback is music to my ears!
When you do sense a re-brand coming on? What does it feel like?
Post your answers below in the comments or find me on Facebook.
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Heather Poduska is a brand strategist, business coach and opera singer who helps entrepreneurs and small business owners create client attractive brands, polished brand images and brand communication strategies to increase their visibility and impact in the marketplace and grow their businesses.
I can relate to this so much over the past several months. I’m in a state of change now, going through a Brand Re Fresh, so to speak. Freshening up my message, who I’m meant to work with, what I want to do moving forward, getting new photos done for my site and re writing my copy.
Our businesses are always evolving and we need to remember that and not get scared or frustrated. Just look at it as a period of growth and new beginnings! 🙂
Thanks for the comments Jenn. Yes, it can feel very frustrating when you are not clear, but it’s all a process. Most of us don’t flip a switch to get the answers. But if you are willing to take the time to reflect, that’s when you get very, very clear. Congrats on your re-brand. Can’t wait to see the new pics!
A lot of the people I’ve worked with, and the creative entrepreneurs I call peers, often get stuck because they feel like they will be forever committed to ONE THING. Like, just coaching, or just healing services, or just one type of creative service. But it’s true – it’s always evolving and our job is to flow with it.
I’ve changed up my services a LOT. I get bored doing the same thing over and over. I love who I work with, of course, and to keep my work fun, I change what I do often. I had my Etsy shop open for awhile, working on wholesale + custom art orders. Now that I’m offering graphic design services, I have a whole bunch of different options, mostly so I can see what I enjoy and how I can evolve them to a different point that is even more fun + aligned for me.
Thanks!
Thanks for the comments Kristen. Yes, the whole point is to evolve into something that is more fun and aligned with you as you grow. Well said.