By Lisa Foster
When I first started out to form my own company, I soon discovered how powerful and central the brand was for guiding how I wanted my company to show up in the world. If my company were a person, the brand was the face. If my company were a rocket, the brand defined the mission of the journey. If my company were an animal, the brand defined the instincts and characteristics of the beast.
In short, I discovered that the brand is the central articulation of who I am as a company and what I am striving to do every day at work. Being able to convey exactly who you want to be, either as a company or as professional, is clarifying and empowering. When you define your brand for yourself or your company, you can inspire your customers and your employees to align with your vision.
Coaching is an ideal setting for the branding process. The originator of the idea has the best sense of what the company will strive to be in the world. It requires self-reflection and creative thinking to define the kind of company you want to be and how you carve out a unique personality that will attract the customers you want so you achieve your goals.
If your client has a business idea, or if you are looking to brand yourself as a coach, read my chapterin the book Coaching Perspectives VIII, Coaching Entrepreneurs for Brand Elements. It will give you a step by step process for asking the right questions and distilling the creative free-flow into a clear articulation of the five elements essential for branding. Follow the steps and you will find your most powerful expression of how you will show up in the professional world.
