What are authentic brands? Authentic brands are a series of stories that touch our core when we experience them. They find a way to penetrate our spirit by being relevant and

rich with the most important details. We’re all made up of a bunch of stories, some that we’ve experienced in front of us, most that we tell ourselves, and when we want to craft a

brand that’s authentic and connects with people, we need to pull out the best stories that best translate who we are and what we represent.

Your first insticnt might be, “well, I do have a story and I think it can touch people, but I don’t want to be too dramatic.” Heart touching stories aren’t always dramatic meloncholYour first insticnt might be, “well, I do have a story and I think it can touch people, but I don’t want to be too dramatic.” Heart touching stories aren’t always dramatic melonchol-

ies, they can be light, they can be funny, they can be anything. Yes, when we first think of “heart toucing” stories, our immediate instinct is some sort of dramatic, coming-of-age

tale of life but consider the light parts of your existence. Ask yourself, what about you makes your friends and family laugh and love you the most?

Actor/Comedian Louis C.K. has built a multimillion dollar brand off telling funny stories about his life that connect with people and make them laugh. Find the Louis C.K stories of

your life and build your brand around it.

In a later section about message consistency, I talk about developing a mantra that you speak to yourself, translates to the rest of the world and ultimately defines your brand. Your

mantra that you speak into the world must come from a place of passion and purpose. If your mantra is graditude, your brand should be graditude. If your mantra is action, your

brand should be action oriented.

Artists are the best example of their passion and purpose translating into a brand, in part because it can be distributed to a large audience and scaled to great size. Musicians speArtists are the best example of their passion and purpose translating into a brand, in part because it can be distributed to a large audience and scaled to great size. Musicians spe-

cifically, when you hear a ballad that touches your core, you can feel the passion, you can feel the purpose in the artists’ artwork. This is the kind of energy you need to manifest

from within to reflect your passion and purpose to the world.

Be yourself! As cliche’ as it sounds, some of us complicate this too often. Tap into what is at your core and make it stand out, make it shine. Be present with yourself and your natural

essence will emerge. Your dope-ness will shine through!

Clearwater Branding Company | 617-702-4618 | info@clearwaterbranding.com

Authentic brands tell great stories across both physical and digital mediums and you should too. In order to do this, it requires a few steps listed below:

1. Be Present in Digital:

Listen, you love your anonymity, you like existing on the boundaries but you also want to build an authetic brand. You can’t be alive, want to develop an authentic brand for yourself

and not have a digital profile. Get one and build on it. The world moves faster then you and you need to speed up. Tell your story in this medium your way, you can control it better

and people can get to know your brand faster.

2. Learn the Internet:

What platforms, sites and apps tell your store the best? We know about Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Linked In. Do you know the platform, About.Me? Do you blog? Find the best What platforms, sites and apps tell your store the best? We know about Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Linked In. Do you know the platform, About.Me? Do you blog? Find the best

tools online and make them work for your brand.

3. “Tweet It”:

When I say “tweet it”, I dont mean go on Twitter and tweet something; I’m speaking more to the philosophy of the “tweet”. When people want to learn about your brand, they don’t When I say “tweet it”, I dont mean go on Twitter and tweet something; I’m speaking more to the philosophy of the “tweet”. When people want to learn about your brand, they don’t

want to read a essay of pictures, words and noise. They want information quick and digestable, something “grab and go”. Don’t bore your audience with long story telling, hit the

bread and butter points of your brand and go from there. To little, in this case, is better than too much.

Your message ultimately starts with your voice, so you have to ask yourself, what are you telling yourself everyday? What is your mantra? In order for your mantra, your voice and

therefore your message to be consistent, it really starts with being clear with what you are telling yourself. Your mantra is the foundation of your voice and what you speak to yourself.

That small voice inside then should ultimately translate to a brand the rest of the world can identify with.

I have alot of mantra’s but the mantra I speak to myself most often nowadays is “Focus...Action...” I wrote a note card on my night stand next to bed reading “Focus/Action” so when

I wake up everyday, I’m reminded of these two powerful words. Often times when I’m caught up in the day, I find my subsonscious repeating “focus...action...focus...action...” and I wake up everyday, I’m reminded of these two powerful words. Often times when I’m caught up in the day, I find my subsonscious repeating “focus...action...focus...action...” and

this works for me. I like to stay focused and I like to be action oriented and I think these traits translate to the rest of the world my brand, as action oriented and someone who is

focused and passionate about my work. Take the time today to find your mantra, its where it all begins.

Clearwater Branding Company | 617-702-4618 | info@clearwaterbranding.com