PAY YOUR DEBTS….

Debt. Most of us have it. Sallie Mae, credit cards, mortgage, good, bad, it exists. And we work doggedly to pay it off. We take on extra jobs and side hustles, dealing with people who don’t regard our time and service as highly as they should. Remaining at work past the clock out time, in hopes of adding that extra ‘0’ to the end of our next check in exchange for eventual relief and peace of mind. And….that’s awesome! Super awesome actually. The fact that anyone would strive that hard in order to pay a personal debt is admirable and it speaks to their drive and determination. But what about your passion you have locked deep inside your internal vault? Will you strive as hard to pay it back as well?

We all come pre-loaded with an internal vault that contains everything we will need to create the life we desire in this realm. Included in the vault is a gift or talent, if you will, or something that we are naturally good at. It may be the ability to create art or having a knack for creating perfect atmospheres in which you create thought-provoking conversation. In that sense we are all creatives. Most of us mistake these gifts simply for things we are good at and never take the opportunity to fine tune these “gifts”, assuming they are solely for our personal use and consumption. Huge mistake. Our gifts, talents and proclivities are meant to awaken certain things inside of us that will provoke our curiosities and motivate us specifically in the direct pursuit of our destiny. In that pursuit, there are others taking note of our every move and being inspired. This is our debt and payment to society. To use what we have to reach back and help and inspire humanity. Whether that means voting or rallying others to do so, charitable causes, etc. we are to give back. Many of us regard our gifts in a selfish manner, as though we only have them to make our own lives more comfortable. Sure, if you work hard and stay the path you are bound to attain a certain level of success, most often with which comes the comforts of monetary prosperity. However, there is someone somewhere waiting on you to pay your debt. Let’s think back to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. What an inspiration to see so many athletes step onto an international platform and take center stage in the culmination of years of perfecting their sport and training their bodies to push beyond the normal limitations! During the games I observed so many people publicly acknowledge, via social media, their aspiration to be just like these Olympic champions. Think of how many of these very athletes were inspired by previous Olympic Champions and began to work towards the games because of the hard work and sweat they witnessed from their own idols! Just as those Rio 2016 champions needed someone to aspire to and to jumpstart their innate beliefs in their limitless abilities, so do we all. There’s someone waiting for us to use our creative abilities to make the world a better place, because if we could do it alone, there would be less of us. Whether it’s creating a meal to feed the hungry, jumping hurdles to inspire the lackadaisical, or creating your own lane in the business world, someone needs you. Your actions and willingness to put what’s inside of your vault to use ultimately affects someone else. It’s time for you to pay your debt. Can you afford it? Are you willing to do what it takes to afford it? What keys are you using to unlock your own vault?

CONSIDER THIS

Whatever answer you came up with after reading above is your unique offer and selling point. Many times we “brand” without thinking about what we bring to the marketplace that no one else can. So we end up looking JUST LIKE SOMEONE ELSE. This defeats the point of branding for recognition. It’s not just about choosing some nice colors and fonts that work for you. You must be intentional. I know in the last few emails I’ve stressed this by saying close to the same thing in several different ways, but there’s a dope rhyme to my reason. Branding begins by first understand your offer (product or service), target audience (who you’re talking directly to) and your message (what you’re saying). People skip over this entirely and completely. As a result they create mundane, boring brands that have little to offer that’s any different than what everyone else is pedaling in these streets. STOP! Put some thought into where you want to be and be intentional about getting there.

IF YOU MADE IT THIS FAR…

I have an assignment for you. Pull out a pen and paper, or your phone or computer, whatever you take notes on. Write the numbers 1–3 and fill in the blanks accordingly.

1. What is your offer. What do you do or how do you serve people through your business. Now, here’s the plot twist. How do you do what you do in a way that no one else does? What’s your unique approach to business “as usual”?
2. Who is your target audience? A term that people throw around, but it’s truly is important. Who benefits from what you have to offer? Be specific. Age, race, gender, where they live, height, hobbies, favorite foods, habits…whatever is specific to your offer. It’s important to know WHO you’re talking to so you know WHAT to say and HOW to say it.
3. So….about saying it… What exactly DO you have to say? What’s your brand message? HOW does our offer transform lives. Be descriptive so that when you pull from your brand message to create marketing messages and other content, you have plenty to choose from. A brand message can come in many forms. Think about all angles. Ex: Elevator pitch, pillars, mission, vision, brand promise, etc. Also, think about your tone of voice. How will your audience best receive what you have to say? Ex: empowering, optimistic, insightful, jovial, etc.

Thinking about these elements is the first step to branding excellence! These answers will help you in so many other areas of your business.

If you need assistance in uncovering the answers to these questions and how exactly this can help you develop a stellar brand, contact me! I can help with that type of thing. And I’m friendly, I promise.

lizette@levelcreativellc.com