Nothing is Ordinary
I know how easy it can be to get bored with your routine, even when you love what you do. Before you know it, you're taking your skills and expertise for granted. You're telling yourself that anyone can do what you do. After all, it's nothing special.
Meanwhile, you see what someone else has going and think to yourself, “Wow, that is so amazing. If only my business were that exciting/unique/interesting...”
Not so fast, friend. First off, you're totally off your rocker and I'm going to tell you why. Now bear with me here for a bit, and let's see if we can overhaul that perspective.
Glass Beads & Positivity
Story time!
My dad started his career as a chemical engineer, and worked for one company in particular while I was growing up. His division of the company manufactured tiny glass beads, which they blended with road paint to make it reflective. This helps drivers at night by improving visibility. After all, it's a lot easier to stay on your side of the road when you can see the lines.
Clearly helpful, but not too exciting, right? Well, that depends on how you look at it.
See, my dad has always been the level-headed, analytical math man with some serious people-leading skills. My mom, on the other hand, has always dominated the creative end of the spectrum and is one of the most positive people I know. Throughout my childhood, she was always drawing, painting, crafting and writing with me. From a young age, I could see her talents and creativity, and I wanted to be just like her.
There's a lot of magic hiding in the mundane.
My mom has this amazing knack for always finding the light and magic in any situation. As a youngin, my dad's job was obviously too complex and technical for me to grasp. So what did my mom do? She told me my dad made the roads sparkle. She told me that he helped people find their way. Not only did she frame it in a way I could understand, she made it just as beautiful and inspiring as the creativity I saw in her.
Sparks, Branding & Magic
You might be wondering what the heck sparkly roads have to do with branding your small business. Well, the truth is that branding is a lot like optimism. It's takes practice and a willingness to shift your perspective. But if you look hard enough, you'll discover that you can find the extraordinary in any seemingly ordinary thing.
But Melissa, the whole point of branding is to differentiate my business from the competition, right?
It should help you stand out—totally. But one of the amazing things about great branding is that it can benefit you just as much as your audience. Yes, it will make you look more professional, but it also makes you feel like the expert you are. Yes it will help you sell more, but it also gives you the confidence to show off your skills with pride. Most of all, it reminds you how special what you do is and why you started doing it in the first place.
When I'm crafting a brand identity, my job is to sift through the day-to-day of what you do, and then dig even deeper. I search for some uncommon gem to hang our creative hats on. I page through your story, seek out those gems, and combine those into the spark that helps your brand shine. That's what I do—or at least that's how I choose to look at it.
The next time you're feeling bored with your own brand—or even your life—remember that absolutely nothing is ordinary. There's a lot of magic hiding in the mundane. And I'm here to help you find it whenever you're ready.
