5 Steps to Help You Find (or Better Express) Your Business Vibe

A black sandwich board is outside on a street with white letters reading "Good vibes only". — When I suggest to clients that we work on identifying a clear social media voice, they often worry that it's a waste of time. Maybe you also have the same thought.

You have so many things on your plate that you *have* to do, like paying bills and ordering or creating products. You might worry that taking the time to do this creative brainstorming won't make a difference in your day-to-day. Basically, you don't see a clear payoff.
I understand you don't have time to waste, and I would never ask that you sacrifice essential job duties. But I know that this work is a good use of time that could have significant impacts.
Data from recent reports suggest that customers are nearly 60% more likely to buy from brands with strong personalities, and over 50% have actually purchased from a brand because of their online personality.
So by doing this work now, you can save time AND increase your chances of not only a new sale but also repeat customers.

Here are some simple steps to help you find, or better express, your business vibe:

#1 Identify keywords

Write down everything you want your customers to feel when purchasing from you. These can be sentences, phrases, or words.

Think of every moment of the experience:

How did they hear about you?

What do they notice when they walk through your door (or visit your website)?

What help, support, or guidance do they receive when buying?

How do they feel when exchanging money for a product or service?

What do they experience after they've purchased?

Once you've put down all your thoughts, grab some colored pens or markers for the fun part. Circle, highlight, or underline words or phrases you repeated or liked.

#2 Match words to colors

Use the words or phrases from step one and think of colors that match the feeling those words give you. I recommend getting as specific with the colors as possible.

You don't need a color for every word or phrase; you can group them. For example, if you have "welcoming," "bubbly," and "carefree," you might want to pick a rich, golden yellow. Or maybe those words make you think of summer sky blue.

Now is a great time to make color swatches of the vibe you are going for.

If you already have branding that includes a color scheme, see how you can combine those colors with your new "vibe" colors. Matching your branding and vibe colors can help you maintain your brand while further driving home a vibe, feeling, or emotion.

#3 Supplement with pictures

Find various pictures that match the vibe described in your keywords and colors. These can be of people, places, or things and may or may not be directly related to your business. If you already have shots of your business that fit your vibe, definitely use those!

Get creative with this one. Think about the feelings specific images may give you and how those connect with your keywords and colors. If you're a candle maker in California, you might find inspiration in pictures from inside a bookstore in Berlin. Take some time to explore what's out there.

Pro Tip: If you collect these digitally, adjust the tones using filters to match your colors better.

#4 Make a collage

You can do this the old-school way by physically cutting and pasting from magazines and printouts, or you can create a digital option. Combine all the above pieces - words, phrases, colors, and pictures.

Take the time to lay everything out before you start to ensure it fits how you want it to.

As you start to develop your collage, think about a design matching your vibe. If you are going for calming and peaceful, stick with clean lines and plenty of blank space between items. If you're going for fun and bubbly, you can play around with shapes and overlapping.

Again, get creative. Draw shapes or doodles, play with layers, or try grouping your content into distinct feelings.

#5 Make it a focus

Keep your collage visible when working on marketing content for your business. Use the words and phrases throughout articles or on your website. Match colors and pictures on your social media posts.

Keeping this collage front and center when working on your business stops outside factors like a bad day from changing your marketing vibe. Instead, it will stay consistent with what your loyal customers have come to expect and likely appreciate from you.

Added benefits of this work

Consistency is key in business marketing of any size. When you walk into a Target, no matter where you are, you will know the staff is wearing khaki bottoms and red tops. When you order a CrunchWrap Supreme at Taco Bell, no matter what state you're in, it will have the same ingredients.

Consistency is also comforting. Humans have too many unpredictable parts to our lives, so when we know what to expect from an experience, we feel safer.

And finally, consistency surrounds you with the community you want to serve. While we rarely want to turn down a sale, sometimes, there are just customer experiences that make your life more challenging. If you can crowd out the negative by flooding your business and social media presence with the community you most want to serve, it just feels better.

Two phases of butterfly cocoons are shown with an orange and black monarch at the end. — Let your business vibe grow with your business.

Remember, this vibe does not have to last forever. You can let it evolve and change. That is still consistent.

You want to avoid having each post on your social media match a different vibe or updating the color scheme on your website every week. Instead, let your vibe grow with your business.

If you want some help identifying and building an unmistakable business vibe for your social media or other marketing, I can help! Reach out today to schedule a free consultation to learn more.