Create a strong brand people can align with

The other day in my home coworking space I saw a SubPop sticker on a guy’s laptop. Of course I had to stop and chat with him about music for a minute. (If you’re unfamiliar, SubPop was THE grunge record label in the ‘90s. It has since grown and expanded to include a variety of artists and genres, but its roots are deeply planted in grunge bands, including Nirvana and Soundgarden.)

The sticker sent a message to me that this person and I had something in common. If nothing else, we could nerd out on music and cool record labels. It also said a lot about him. By celebrating SubPop and aligning himself with the brand, I had an instant glimpse into who he is, what he listens to, what era he came of age in, what he values creatively, and what he thinks is cool and important.

A big lift for a little sticker. But true nonetheless.

So here’s a challenge for you: Is your brand strong enough that people would put your sticker on their laptop? And if so, what would that sticker tell people? Would it just be an ad for your brand, or would it be something that had so much meaning that other people would immediately associate it with something much deeper?

Brand is the intuitive feeling people have about you. So if you want a brand that makes a strong impression, you have to have a strong vision, values and vibe and—here’s the kicker—then you have to share your vision, values and vibe with the world.

Otherwise, how will we know?

I see it all the time: You have a compelling origin story and “why,” you have a meaningful vision, clear values and a great vibe, yet no one knows because you don’t share these things with the world.

So be brave and share the unique story of your brand.

To create something truly remarkable, you have to think bigger than the thing you sell and start attracting people who can align with your larger purpose.

This is where the magic happens.