Nowadays it’s nearly impossible to stay focus. We are constantly being bombarded with distractions. Through the pinging of a new email, dm or phone call, sometimes even a passing thought.
External distraction are essentially interruptions. If we allow these interruptions to take control. We are allowing our attention be away from the task at hand, almost stolen and shifted onto something else. Essentially what we do is become reactive, reactive is when we show a response to a stimulus. Usually notification pings are our stimulus to invite us back onto a social media app. Therefore removing our concentration from something important to something usually far less important.
Audio Time Stamp | 01:40
“Brand Focus More Beneficial Than Consistency”
Might be wondering why I’m taking about focus today, well I’ve noticed that people talk about the importance of brand consistency. When I believe it’s more beneficial for small business owners to understand the power of brand focus. More brands are being born each and everyday. With the use of social media we can promote and connect with our people far more easily. But I’m sure you have caught yourself, being distracted by looking at other small businesses online. Leading you down that rabbit hole of self-doubt, comparisons and envy! Consistency is important for brands, but a strong focus might be the key to help you stay confident in your brand lane.
Audio Time Stamp | 01:40
Are Multiple Goals Less Effective?
A brand that is focused should be less distracted about what others are doing. Because they are completed immersed in their own brand mission and vision. There’s a study called “The Fewer, the better: Number of Goals and Saving Behaviour” And they had one group, split into two groups, the first group had to save for one goal there kids tuitions. The other group got told to create multiples goals, so kid tuitions, retirement, healthcare and maybe a few other things. What they found was the both groups did 50% better with goal than without. But they also found that the group with one savings goal doubled their savings, then the group who had multiple goals. What they concluded was the group with had multiple goals, reduce their mental bandwidth. Because that person had to choose one savings pot to put their money in over another. Basically having to make a complex trade off, making it difficult because they knew that money wasn’t going towards the other savings pots they had.
Similar to making goals when a brand has too many focuses trying to be the three e’s, everything to everyone, everywhere it’s far more likely to be less effective. Brands with one focus are more compelling for your people to watch, truth and be loyal to. Splitting your brand efforts across multiple focuses can reduce your brands bandwidth. And talk about multiple things could decrease the chance of creating as much of an impact and momentum online. Then if you stay focused on talking about the one thing.
Audio Time Stamp | 03:42
“A Focused Brand Example”
Let’s take this one step further, and look at a brand example. Let’s take Everlane. Everlane are focused on ethical factories, reduction of plastic waste, body positivity and gender equality. You may be think but hold on, that’s more than one focus. But essentially speaking that is a focus, they are standing for the right reason. They’ve embodied the innocent archetype and focused on very specific topics and socially conscious causes. The have a focused on having a moral compass baked into the heart of their brand. They effortless mirror ethical factories through radical transparency of cost on their site. And through simple but clever advertisement of plastic bottles being reused to create their puffer coats. Using direct one liner such as Easy to throw out referencing the bottle and easy to throw on referencing the their puffer jackets. No one can dispute that Everlane brand is simple but obviously focused.
Audio Time Stamp | 04:53
Benefits To Having a Focused Brand
I believe ultra focused brand is key to building a strong brand. Small brands shouldn’t be so determined to just staying consistent, although it’s important to not keep changing you look so you don’t look flakey. However, I can see the confusing of brand taking complete consistency meaning they feel like their brand must stay the exact same, and become stagnant in the making. Essentially have no chance for change. I believe it’s more beneficial to encourage brands to simple just have an ultra clear focus. This grants brands more room to evolve and grow over time without ever having to disregard their focus. But through consistently upholding their focus allow you more room to occasional change and not hurt your brand in doing so.
Audio Time Stamp | 06:04
Time To Gain Brand Focus
If you feel like your brand isn’t very focused it’s now time to untangle your brand web. And start making some sense out of it all. With a brand focus, it can help you communicate who you are to your audience, and hav more time to dedicate your actions and recourses to this one thing. Brands who are focused are far more sustainable and durable in the long-term. And will always win the fight against a brand who’s simple trying to be too many things and liked by everyone. Lastly remember that with a brand focus you become more invest in your own brand and therefore become far less easily persuaded and distract by what other brands are doing. Essentially you put blinkers on that horse ware and you concentrate on your own direction and growth more so. Plus as research as shown you are more likely to get more done when focused on one thing. If you’re unsure on how to build brand strategy listen to episode 03.