howtf do you convey optimism in your brand messaging in times like these?

i believe businesses who sell, profess and live the value of optimism will thrive

an observation this 5 minutes of my life?…..your world is pretty fucked up

cmon…admit it

the planet, the people, the politics, the power

lately it seems to all be pointing in the wrong direction

shit’s on fire

the weather is nuts

people are acting crazy

a virus has completely changed our way of life

politics has no rhyme or reason in the most powerful nation on earth

and

the distance between main street and wall street is bigger than ever

it lacks consistency, stability

oh geez…..wouldn’t it be nice for a change to know what’s going to happen?

that’s why i believe in the concept of optimism

on a personal level…..i’m trying hard to stop thinking the worst is going to happen

believe me I’m pretty pro at working myself into a frenzy sometimes..and don’t’ worry I’m working on letting that shit go

but

and on a professional/business level?

the companies that embrace optimism could kick ass moving forward

let’s focus on the business side of optimism today

covid instantly turned lots of businesses into fear machines

buy this product and don’t get sick, keep your distance, stay protected

wtf, it’s nothing new….if you think…mass shootings created the kids bullet proof back pack market

now is that fucked up or what?

maybe i’m being too dreamy on this

but i think customers are hungry for some good news

they look forward to some reliability, professionalism, planning and a positive outlook on life

let’s remember fear and anger are a short motivators, that’s why the people and leaders who use these scare the shit out of you with something new daily.

quick side note story? speaking of stuff on fire?

my fave retreat center in northern colorado recently got swept over by the cameron fire they didn’t lose everything but many of their structures were damaged or destroyed

but since they are an optimistic group by nature

they sent out an email showing super green baby grass shoots coming up from the charred ground less then a week after the scorched earth policy blew thru there

that’s optimism baby…. :: ))

ok, let’s talk technique/tactical for a second

how does a brand sound optimistic?

but first…..one more quick side note story?

most people don’t know this about me but besides the fact my gpa in college wasn’t the greatest

the subject i loved the most was presentation and public speaking

so wtf….how does one gradumadate with a not very good gpa?

you focus on what you love and are good at

so believe it or not i have a b.s. in public speaking with a minor in business

probably the only two things in college that captured me

anyway back on track :: ))

here’s how it ties in

there are three key elements of communication & public speaking

tone, rate and pitch

think about

your tone in how you deliver a critique or complement

the rate..how fast or slow you speak

and pitch…..high and frantic or lower and more calm and collected

so if i’m optimistic….bright & open……my tone is going to be warm/friendly

the rate will be slow to medium in speed

and my pitch certainly won’t be high and frantic

question to ask yourself…..can your brand/business “speak” this way?

one would ask…how could i tactically do this…in my business…my category?

i work lots in the natural foods world and the outdoor world…in the past i worked in the bike world and countless other consumer categories from ski hills to cameras and kayaks

with that said

in these areas maybe think about getting all buddhist mofo on your customers?

through the basic ways of the elements of earth, water, air, fire and space

think about how grounded we are when we are outside or even staring at a falling leaf from a tree in a city park?

it’s called the “union of human and nature” but that’s for another story

in the above mentioned categories it shouldn’t be too difficult to spread love on your customers when you’re communicating with them

as so many humanoids have lost the beneficial energy of nature…

why don’t you remind them with a tone, rate and pitch that is equal to your brand voice?

help them feel they are connecting with this natural energy and their own positive energy and their optimism will rise with it

another way is visually

bright colors, uplifting images, family, think love just think happy fucking ending

when i hallucinated about this earlier i jotted down some words….basic, rudimentary, everyone gets it, colorful, gets to my core, boldness, connective, happy, healthy, safe and free

what i make up in my mind when i hear words like this?

they are all words that come from the gut

and let us remind ourselves that optimism starts in your gut not in your head

it’s why your vagal nerve transmits more to your brain then your brain to your gut

in fact, 80 to 90 percent of the nerve fibers in the vagus nerve are dedicated to communicating the state of your viscera up to your brain.

ok……i’ve blabbed/typed enough about this

maybe it’s time to step back, take a few deep breaths and ponder how optimism

can help you to “connect, adapt & unite” with your customers.

more on that later…..