91: :  Finding Your True North with Stevie Awards Female Entrepreneur of the Year, Lauren Clemett

Show Notes

Lauren is from New Zealand.  She was born into a tiny little town on a YMCA camp where she got to meet new people every week.  She credits this with helping to be able to understand people and feel comfortable in a crowd.  As a child, she had trouble reading and writing.  She found out that she had dyslexia.  She started coming up with unique ways to help spell and remember words.  She used pictures or pictures of words to help her.

It was this skill that helped her to be so successful with branding as she could see the “picture” that the brand needed to tell in it’s words.

“It is the things that make me a bit of a misfit that have become my biggest advantage…”

Most people think of a logo.  But branding is a way of setting yourself apart as being different from other people or businesses.  When it comes to personal branding, it is something that is instantly communicated to your prospect’s brain.  It really is about forming respect.  With the overload information, social media, etc. – it is critical to have a brand to stand out.

What does someone need to do and have to create a great brand?

Entrepreneurs want to hep everyone, the bright shiny object syndrome.  This can be distracting.

The most important first step is to find a focus.  What is the #1 thing that you want to be known as the expert in?  What will you be the “go to” for?

Be careful not to confuse brand as it confuses the prospect or potential client.  If you have more than 1 business, you have to make sure that each brand is uniquely separated.

At the 14-min mark, Lauren talks about what those that have multiple brands should do to make sure they focused and standing out in the right way to potential clients.

What is neurobranding and how does it play with the entrepreneurial mind?

Neurobranding is the way the human brain “sees” brands.  But, it is not just the look, it is sound, tastes, texture, etc.  everything that helps form a memory of a brand.

The human brain see brands with memory and emotion.

The human brain makes the same decisions when it comes to choosing things as it always has, even back to the time of cave men.  Is it good for us or not good for us (emotionally and physically)

The part of the brain that regulates this is that part that deals with fear, the Amygdala

At the 19 min mark, Lauren gives examples of brands that help instantly engage the human brain.  She also gives a great example of how our minds automatically paint a picture using “bacon and eggs.”

The human brain thinks in pictures – not in words.  Then it goes to the emotion and feeling around those pictures.

Neurobranding is about creating a brand that has meaning, but then using pictures that help it easy to absorb and cement that meaning emotionally.

Lauren uses FedEX as an example by highlighting their colors and the unique arrow in their logo that tells you that they “get it their fast and with good service”

What is the first step that people need to do to make sure they are neurobranding correctly?

Ask yourself “How do I want my brand to make people feel?”  What is the #1 emotion you want to make people feel?

At the 27 min mark, Lauren goes through what may be one of the most important exercises you could ever do for your business, finding your “True North.” *Listen to this segment multiple times!

Business need a map and compass

The map tells you lays out the land for you, but if you are lost and don’t know where you are, it doesn’t help you.

A compass does one thing – points north and can help you understand where you need to go with your map

Marketing and branding are like the map and compass – you need both

Your brand is your “True North”

The compass points you in the right direction..

There are 4 points – N, S, E, W

West stands for “What.”  What is the problem that you solve?  This goes deep.  The problem you are solving is deeper than what you do.  It is all the ways in which what you do affects and helps a client.

East stand for “Execution.”  This is the “how” of delivering your what.  The systems, processes, and actions of how you deliver you value.  What are the unique things you do to deliver the service or services that you do.

South is “$.”  This is all about the value that you deliver.  What is the real value that you deliver to people’s lives.  How will they feel having worked with you.

North is your “True North – Your purpose, passion – your why.”  Why are you so intent on being the expert and help people with what you do?  Why is it so important to you?  What do you keep doing what you are doing – why are you driven?

When you put it all together.  What it is that you that you solve?  The process that you use that is unique to you?  The value you really deliver to people.?  And the reason why you are doing it?  That is your “True North.”

What is the formula for the perfect “Elevator Pitch?”

Once you know your True North, you then have what you need to do a good elevator pitch.

There is one purpose of an elevator pitch – to get them to ask your more about what you do.

The formula is the B-E-S-T Formula

B = Be Clear.  Keep it to the point and succinct.

E = Exactly who you help.  Be clear about exactly who you help.  “I work with ___ that want____”

S =  Solve the problem.  It is important to talk about the problem people have.  If you have can describe their problem better than them, you stand out.

T = Tell them why.  They want to know that they are working with someone who cares.  That you have purpose and meaning.

At the 42 min mark, Lauren talks about how to find focus and getting 10x more done in one week.