By Stella Burchard, Business Coach and Brand Ambassador

You know your business, what you want to do, who you want to work with, and the basics of how to make this all happen, but the idea of developing a “brand” still eludes you. What exactly is your brand? Is your brand you or something different? How do you identify it?

The good news is you may be closer to your brand identity than you think. This exercise is a walk through three areas to tap into your brand information and clarify an identity. First, you’ll look inside yourself, quickly revisiting decisions you’ve made and answering from your gut on where you stand. Second, you’ll consider what the outside sees and how that stacks up against the market as others understand it. Third, you’ll think of your brand abstractly, conceptually considering your business. For all three areas, answer honestly with what comes first, not rationalizing or editing yourself. The goal is to zone into what you already have at hand and highlight how this all works together.

Let’s zone in!

1) Check inside.

Let’s start with you. Quick-fire answer where you stand on the following:

Are you innovative?

Are you experienced?

Are you local?

Are you high cost?

Are you high quality?

Are you quick?

Are you accessible?

Are you custom?

Are you big?

Are you a network?

2) Check outside.

How do others see your brand? How do you want others to see your brand?

Even when we are introspective, we see some things as the way things are done naturally, but these things are actually unique to us and not standard for all. You may have tattoos, but don’t walk around thinking of yourself as a tattooed person, even though that is what the world sees. What identifying marks does your business have?

3) Check all around.

Without thinking too much about what you’ve answered above or the meaning of the following questions, feel out and record:

What does your brand feel like?

What does the brand sound like?

What does it look like?

Is it soft, shiny, red, breezy, sleek? Get into your senses and don’t worry about what this means.

Now, bring it all together. Look at how you’ve answered the three sections above. What is consistent? What is an outlier? Look for common words, impressions, and themes. Pick out what fits together and what feels like you. Start to see your brand identity in black and white.

About the Author

Stella Burchard is a business coach and brand ambassador. With over a decade of experience in leading teams, growing brands, and managing relationships, her reputation is to work with integrity to deliver value to customers and brands. Her passion is of empowering independent businesses and collaborating to reach and exceed goals.

Connect with Stella online via Twitter & Instagram @StellaBurchard and at http://www.daniellelaporte.com/DML/stella-burchard/