How to avoid the standard vibes of your industry without losing touch with your niche
The industry thing.
You've probably noticed it many times before: industries tend to have a certain vibe. And with it comes a certain kind of brand. They naturally inform each other.
The finance industry has a certain vibe, and thus branding in that realm comes with a certain style.
At uni we learned early on which colours are typically associated with which kind of business and industry. And because we're constantly confronted with these standards, it can feel really challenging to break out when the standard simply isn't YOUR vibe.
Today I want to give you a permission slip to do your thing, even when you hang out in an industry that has a very “typical” look and feel to it. I believe it's time to challenge what we perceive as normal and bring true soul flavour even into the most standardised parts of the business world!
NO 1 – Identify the norms
First things first: in order to avoid blindly following them, you need to first of all identify the norms.
What's the typical brand look you see everywhere in your industry? What colours are commonly used? Is there a certain type of imagery you come across all the time?
Take some time to actually notice what's going on, and take note of what you observe. It's not about judging anything as right or wrong, or even trying to find your space within it all right now – it's just about witnessing, listening and observing.
NO 2 – Check in with your brand
Once you have identified the norms, it's time to check in with your own stuff – honestly, and truthfully. Try and look at your business expression from a neutral, gentle outsider's perspective first: does your brand “fit in”? Does it stand out in your industry, or does it fall into the status quo? Can you feel the essence of your being within it, or does it feel generic?
Then, identify what is yours and what isn't. Maybe your brand looks just like you would expect in your industry, but it is fully aligned with your soul expression and business mission and it's actually perfect this way. Or, maybe you see that you have unconsciously copied others in your niche, overwriting your true soul mission signature and there's some clearing and redesigning to do.
NO 3 – Feel into the Middle Way
If you have identified that you have moulded yourself to an industry standard, but you don't actually feel like it's you, then it's time to assess what you can do about it.
And the important thing here: don't overwhelm your system and feel like you need to throw all you've ever created over board right away! The first thing you can do is to gently find the middle way.
Pick one thing that you have identified as “not yours” that you can drop easily. Maybe that's letting go of that typeface that everybody else uses, too, but that doesn't actually feel like you. Or maybe it's acknowledging that you'd much rather use authentic, real-world selfies than staged photoshoot pictures for your channel – and you allow yourself to post something you have held back on for a while.