Those of you who know me, know that my other passion (besides candy!) is marketing. There is something about a good clean design and a clear message that makes me extremely happy! It's the industry I have been working in for years, and also what my main focus was in post secondary.
Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a wonderful Workshop, brand[ED], by Bot Communications. It is ran by the lovely Nicole Hudson, who is quirky, talented, and definitely knows her stuff! In the course of a single day, we wrote a simple business plan, defined our brand, and learned some pretty neat photography tricks! Not only was it refreshing to have an entire day to focus solely on the big picture of my business - but I met an entire room full of like-minded gals like me, which was SO worth it.
I definitely recommend this one day workshop to anyone thinking of starting their own business or new business owners!
One of the huge take backs from the workshop, was to really define your brand and what your business stands for. Your brand should determine how you make decisions and how you present yourself, but most importantly it should align with your core values. How you describe your brand, otherwise known as your core values, are what I like to call, "Brand Words".
So, what are your Brand Words and how do you find them?
There are many ways to find these magical adjectives that encompass what your business is all about. I challenge ALL entrepreneurs to find them. It might be hard at first, but to get started simply follow the steps below:
1) Take 2 minutes and list out as many adjectives that you think describe your business.
Write down single words that you use to describe your business, single words that you think others use to describe your business, as well as words that you have heard others say.
2) Go through that list and scratch out any that very easily describe your direct competitors.
This is tough, there are a lot of generic words out there that can be used to describe businesses in the same industry. The point is to make your Brand Words unique to only your business.
3) Circle the remaining ones that you think best describe your business.
After scratching out most of your list, you should be left with 3 to 5 words that accurately describe your business' core values. These are your magical adjectives. Keep them in the back of your mind at all times when making decisions, thinking about creatives, or selling to your customer. They will help be your guide to running your business authentically and help you keep your brand on point.
What are The Sugar Cube's Brand Words?
Good Question!
Innovation. Elegance. Imagination.
Probably not what you would expect from your average Candy store - well, that's because we are not your average candy store! Why did I choose these words? That's probably a story for another day...
So, what are YOUR Brand Words?
Comment below - I would love to hear them!
Comments
Nicole,
Thanks for the kind words – and for inspiring :) Love your brand words!
Hope to see you again soon,
Alyssa
Great post! And thank you so much for giving me a shout out. I’m glad you enjoyed your day and it was SO lovely to meet you and enjoy your sweet treats.
Bot’s brand words (right now, though they could change) are:
Creativity. Community. Connection. Passion. Gratitude.
Have a lovely day!