#8 - Communicate your vision like a pro

Have you ever found yourself in a position of trying to communicate an idea, a feeling, a vision...

and suddenly getting overwhelmed with frustration because it's there in your head but you can't find the words to express it in a way that others see the way you see it?

I certainly did. Most clients I work with are frustrated with not hearing back from their team or hires exactly what they were looking for.

I learned to take responsibility for the message. If it didn't land, I wasn't being clear enough.

One way I suggest to gently guide people to see what you see is to use the "WHAT IS NOT" resource. Sometimes we're so focused on communicating what it is that we forget that we can get there by moving them away from what it isn't.

For me, this question should be obligatory in every guideline, brief, and project. As important as it is to know the goals, it is equally important to know the anti-goals.

Changing how you see your business changes everything.

Changing how you see your business changes everything.

What your brand is NOT?

How does this question help you?

1. Communicate better and guide your team properly.

2. Define boundaries for experimentation.

3. Be clear about who/what your brand is.

Let’s discover your answer by breaking down the question:

Part 1: “What your brand is”

This is the idea you have in your mind, your vision. It can be about the future, its look and feel, its personality, its imagery, its design, its positioning... you get it. Whatever is on your mind, you're trying to put it out there.

Gather words, images, and references that are close to what you can pinpoint.

Part 2: “NOT”

Now, think about everything that is SIMILAR to that but is NOT that. Try to gather words, images, and references that you can use to explain to people what it is not.

The reason why defining boundaries is so important when communicating is that each of us carries different associations and meanings for the same words.

Let's say you're trying to shape a brand that has "elegant" as a primary characteristic.

Elegance is subjective to background and context. What I have in mind as elegant may feel corny to someone else.

The more different references you can bring to express what it is not, the closer you will be to communicate what it is.

Example:

A very common example is luxury.

Luxury is a highly subjective term. For some people, luxury is associated with lavishness and opulence, while for others, it is something discreet and quiet.

Here, we have two luxurious hotels that offer very different experiences from each other:

Now, it’s your turn…

Action step

👉 Set aside 20 min to work on your version of this prompt to get the clarity you need to set your business for authentic growth.

What your brand is NOT?

Warmly,

Nathalia Montenegro

P.S : Ready to find out exactly what you need to do next to grow your business?

Here's how I can help:

• If you haven't yet - connect with me on Linkedin to get daily insights on aligning your brand and business for authentic growth.

• Want guidance to reposition, realign or consolidate your brand & business? Book a complementary clarity call with me here.

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