Intelligent branding — steal with purpose.

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The solution to branding is adopting a mindset that supports it.

If you do not understand it,

• Read a book.
• Follow a creator.
• Watch your favorite YouTuber.

Everyone has their definition of it.
Why? Because it isn’t general.

Those who attach their personality, experiences, and frameworks to their definition of branding, have mastered it.

This is who you should follow.

Some brand builders hide behind the definition of other people as do most of what we know.

It is important to know that the term “personal brand” means “your brand”

Not someone else’s, yours.

Your definition of branding is important. It’s important to know what works for you and how you can present it to the world.

Ideologies develop from other’s ideologies.

This is how humans work.
We copy.
To put it in more context, we steal ideas

… and express them in our own way — innovation.

The only more painful about copying is doing it blindly.

That is why most personal brands, end up being or creating another person.

People create personal brands, forgetting that they are themselves and cannot deviate from them.

Sharing what they copied from others without editing the idea. This is harmful to the followers they get.

They follow you for who the person you copied from is, not who you are. That is why you end up with low engagements and wonder what went wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a starting point with low engagements, and there is a point with low engagements due to copying.

Do not copy, steal intelligently.
This is the world we live in.

Simon Sinek isn’t the first to talk about what he does. He studies from those he finds worthy and intelligently steals their ideas.

It is how we all work.
So, stop copying blindly.

Intelligence is the ability to learn.

The news, social media, entertainment, books, opinions, advice, etc.

These are places for obtaining intelligence. When you quote a saying from any of these sources, remember to add your touch but it should still be relevant.

So switch from, “Ohh I like this post, let me copy it” to “Ohh I like this post, why do I like it?”

“Why” is an important question that is often overlooked when it concerns branding.

It is extremely important to know that branding happens in the mind not in whatever you think it happens in.

When you come across a piece of content, ask yourself, why did I like that? This is how you become self-aware of what you like and what you don’t, and you add depth to your decisions.

Branding is in the mind.
Practice it daily.

Every comment, like, is a piece of what you’re building. It shapes the minds of the people who follow you or want to follow you.

Since branding is in the mind, the way you influence it is by creating a brand identity that speaks to the mind through the eyes. Stay with me here.

A brand identity is made up of the visual and non-visual parts.

The visual part is the things we see, and the non-visual part is the things we feel. They’re connected. A brand identity is like a coin, with visual elements as one side and non-visual elements as the other side.

The non-visual part acts as the foundation of the mountain providing the essential support, and the visual is the top, what they see, visual and captivating.

The visual part consists of a logo, color palette, pattern, and other visuals like social media posts, ads, etc.

The non-visual consists of a brand voice (how you speak), brand archetype (how you act), brand message (what you’re saying), etc.

The elements don’t have a specific way of being created, that is why it is up to you to decide how they are created.

You can create them yourself (and we’d probably know you’re DIYing it) or you can outsource (to a professional who will do it with you).

Every process is different. So do not expect how your brand will turn out to be the same with different people. That’s why we’re different.

Build a brand, not for status, but to improve the quality of people’s lives.

Quality experiences, quality communication.

If you can spend 1 hour a day creating an unforgettable experience, you will build a magnificent brand.

You encounter a brand and think “It must be nice working with them.”

Yes.

It is.

It would be nice for you too if stopped saying that and focused on your experience.

A hard pill to swallow:

Your brand purpose (why you exist) does not matter if you do not stick to it and prove it in every interaction.

You will scroll through 300+ pieces of content each day, triggering you to act against your purpose.

When you encounter this, zoom out. Ask, “What’s going on here?”

Become your therapist:

• Adjust your feed (stop engaging what you do not like — follow the right people)
• Identify your triggers (stay away from them — focus on your strengths)
• Build new neuro-pathways (learn things intelligently — innovate)

Your purpose is the foundation of your brand.

Your brand will be considered by 1 thing: Your purpose.

Communicate it at every stage.
In different ways.

There’s no need to be emotional about it all the time.
Simply speak it, let it sink.

I’m a brand designer, and I help you build an impactful brand. Hire me and let's create something that stands out.

Thank you for reading this story.

I hope it helped.

Tifu.