Personal Style and Brand Messaging: How Knowing Yourself Changes Everything
Last Friday, while working a shift at Anthropologie, a woman rushed in, desperate to find a wedding guest dress. She was just hours away from boarding a redeye flight to Vermont, where temperatures would dip below 50 degrees—a reality most southern Californians will never experience. Time was ticking, and she needed something stylish yet weather-appropriate.
I asked a simple question: "How would you define your personal style?" She hesitated. Faced with the task of putting her style into words, her blank stare said it all.
Instead of pulling random dresses off the rack, I asked her a few key questions, offering her clear choices: bold patterns and dramatic shapes, or soft silhouettes and romantic prints? Gradually, she started to see herself more clearly. She chose bold and dramatic, and after trying on a few options, the brocade trapeze dress I selected won her over.
We shrieked with excitement, and off she went.
This story beautifully parallels the work we do at Lemay Story Studio. You see, her personal style was there all along—she just needed someone to reflect it back to her, helping her say, "Yes, that’s me."
Just as she needed a little guidance to articulate her unique style, many of our clients struggle to express their brand’s true essence. I get it—I've been there too. As a millennial with a work-from-home, "what-do-you-even-do?" job that many of my extended family and closest friends still don’t quite grasp, I know articulating what you do can be tough. Chandler from Friends would agree!
But just like the woman shopping for a dress, you likely already know who you are. You may simply need someone to ask the right questions and reflect that truth back to you. That’s where we come in.
We know that aligned brand messaging does exactly what a killer outfit does; it speaks for itself. With the right value proposition, you no longer have to explain who you are or what you do – people just immediately get it.
Unfortunately we see too many businesses get it wrong. They get wrapped up in explaining features or they get lost in jargon that ChatGPT told them to use, and their messaging falls flat.
But in a world of beige Instagram feeds and robotic copy, the odds of standing out are in your favor—if you’re brave enough to look inward and answer the tough questions:
Who are we as a brand? What do we stand for and why should people care? What vision are we bringing to life, and how can our customers play a part in it?
These are just a few of the questions we ask when we help you define your brand story - because if you don’t define you, someone else will.
Think back to the woman in the store. When I asked her to define her style, she could have shrugged and said, "I don’t know." But when I presented clear options, she made a choice. She claimed her bold and dramatic style, and we found a dress that felt uniquely hers. She avoided wasting time on options that didn’t fit her true essence.
It’s the same with brand messaging. When you use your words to reach beyond explaining who you are and instead aim to show who you are, you not only build trust and spark intrigue – you inspire the people who truly resonate with you. And you’ll realize you have more than just onlookers. You have a loyal audience.
So go ahead. Put on that outfit that makes you say, “Yep, that’s me,” and let your authenticity shine. After all, your unique style, just like your brand’s true message, has likely been there all along – you just need the right person to help you see it.
Curious how to craft a more aligned message that fits you like your favorite outfit? We’d love to help.
Take this free assessment from Storybrand and you’ll receive a detailed report tailored to your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Think of it like a closet audit for your business.
