A special message to all heart-centred solopreneurs …
Quote: “Each and every one of us has a beautiful gem deep inside waiting to be unearthed, cut and polished. This gem is your inner brilliance – the heart and soul of your Signature Brand. Let it continue to shine brilliantly.”
– Annemarie Cross
Ever wondered about some of the decisions you’ve made in your business?
Specifically around the work you’ve done on creating your unique Signature Brand? Including, how are you going to ‘stand out in the crowd’ and capture the attention of your ideal client,
especially when ‘YOU’ and the services you offer are what you are selling?
I know I have – on many occasions.
For instance:
- “Are these gifts and talents REALLY my strengths, and just how unique and different are they in comparison to my competitors?”
- “How on earth can I capture my personality and characteristics in my brand voice so that it shines through my articles and blog posts? Especially since I’m still struggling to understand what my unique characters, traits and ‘brand voice’ is?”
- “Am I using the right language in my marketing so that it resonates with and inspires my ideal client to take action?”
And on it goes.
Thankfully, all of the training I’ve completed over the years has given me the tools and resources I needed to dig deep and uncover the answers to these and many other questions. [You can read more about my Personal Life Journey here].
Now in my business coaching practice, I use the same tools with my clients. Other heart-centred solopreneurs, who feel like they are drowning in a sea of competition and unable to identify their inner brilliance making it difficult to create an influential, irresistible identity that stands out from the crowd.
One of the tools I use to help clients unearth their inner brilliance, is the Branding with ArchetypesTM system.
So what’s an archetype you ask? An archetype is a universally understood symbol and/or pattern of behaviour, and is often used in myths and storytelling across different cultures.
There are 12 archetypes in the Branding with ArchetypesTM system – Maverick, Nurturer, Romantic, Innocent, Humanitarian, Explorer, Ruler, Jester, Hero, Teacher, Artist and Alchemist, each having their own values, characteristics, gifts, likes and dislikes, needs, and sense of mission, purpose and calling.
Once a client gets clear about these things they can capture their personality and what they’re all about (i.e. their ‘inner brilliance’) to create a magnetic signature brand which their clients resonate with and love.
Why is this so important?
Because people are emotional beings. And by incorporating these key elements in all of your marketing messages, you’ll be able to connect in a far deeper and more meaningful way with your ideal client.
Let’s have a look at this in action:
- Kerri Baruch –Awakened Princess.com
Kerri Baruch, Awakened Princess
Kerri is the Teacher/Maverick archetype and is passionate about sharing her wisdom and insight to help her clients discover, embrace and nurture their inner Princess. She helps them breakthrough and eliminate bad habits that have been keeping them stuck and she continues to inspire them to uplift their spirits and advance their lives so they can achieve their greatness, their joy and their wellness.
“By understanding my own unique brilliance I now better understand my ideal client from within. From that place I have been able to really communicate with ‘her’ in all my content and in shaping the focus of my business so that my work reflects my passion, purpose and strength. Before, the process really was a head thing, which doesn’t build connection with prospective clients.” – Kerri Baruch
- Sylvia Bourne – Office Genie.com.au
Sylvia Bourne, Office Genie
Sylvia is all about transformation! She helps her clients transform their cluttered and disorganised offices into streamlined and productive work environments using her unique magical and nurturing approach. Sylvia is the Nurturer/Alchemist archetype.
“I am speaking more confidently and with more clarity. And I no longer have writer’s block as I have words to use that enable me to connect with and inspire my clients into taking action.” – Sylvia Bourne
- Annemarie Cross (ME!)
As the Explorer archetype my mission is to pioneer the discovery of truth.
Pretty amazing considering I spent the last 15 years as a Career Coach helping people discover the truth about their skills, strengths and values so that they could find a job they loved because the role now aligned with ‘who they were’.
Annemarie Cross – Me!
The Explorer archetype also has a need for “expressing oneself and individuality.” This can be seen in the work I do with solopreneurs helping them discover and live their full potential by identifying their unique gifts and talents (their inner brilliance) and building their reputation as specialists in their field.
So what about you?
Have you clearly defined the heart and soul of your brand? Do you continue to portray this in everything you do? Does your ‘Inner Brilliance’ shine brightly through all of your brand touch points so that you create a powerful, magnetic Signature Brand?
If not, I’d highly recommend you read my Powerful Branding to Stand Out articles.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
So what’s your Inner Brilliance? Are you bringing this message out into the world in a powerful, meaningful way that reflect who you are and resonate with your ideal client? Let me know – it’s always lovely to hear from you!
The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes by Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson is a book that really resonated with me and I think that identifying your archetype and those of your audience is a very important part of understanding how to market your business.
Hi Kittie, I have heard of the book but haven’t had the opportunity to read it. Must see if it is available on Kindle. Yes, branding with archetypes is truly magical and there’s nothing more powerful than being on purpose in everything you do!
Truly enjoyed this article. I’m a big fan of Archetypal analysis and write about Pearson’s method in my book on StoryBranding. What I especially like about your approach is how you blend archetypes together. Pearson recommends landing on one for simplicity sake, but I think that becomes forced. I also refer to what you call “inner Brilliance” as a brand’s inner layer. Too often brands concentrate on their outer layers, or their functional advantages and benefits and not enough on the beliefs and values that motivate their actions. You and I obviously see a lot alike. I hope we can stay in touch for collaborative purposes.
Hi Jim, I’m so glad you enjoyed the article. I’ve watched your videos and agree, we certainly see a lot alike. I’d love the opportunity to interview you on The Ambitious Entrepreneur Show to share some of the important lessons from your book. Would you be interested? [PS, I’m including reference to your book in this week’s article]. Looking forward to hearing from you!
You ladies are real source of inspiration for us.
So glad you found the article inspiring! Thanks for stopping by Alyssa.
Too often brands concentrate on their outer layers, or their functional advantages and benefits and not enough on the beliefs and values that motivate their actions. Thanks for sharing.
You’re so welcome Claire – glad you found the article helpful. Yes, you are right – too often brands concentrate on their outer layers and not enough on the crucial things, such as their beliefs and values. Appreciate your comments.
It is very interesting! I hope I can also find out what my archetype is.
For me, it was like a ‘light-bulb’ moment when I first found out my Brand Archetype Rebecca. And, since then it has made such a significant difference in how I show up in my business and in everything I do.
Make sure you join me on my upcoming free training call. We’ll be talking about branding as well as other key elements you’ll need to put into place in your business. Here’s the link to find out more: https://annemariecross.com/free-training-call-with-annemarie-cross Hope you can join me!