Thoughts On Spirituality And Branding

You are probably surprised that I use spirituality and branding in the same sentence. The two are closer connected than you might expect. And I’m convinced that with spirituality at the core of your brand you can shine and stand out in an overburdened social media world and rekindle glutted audiences who are desperately looking for meaningful and inspiring brands.

We’re entering a time of social media saturation (at least in the U.S.). What does that mean? It means that more people and businesses than ever will post, write, and sell their offerings or products online using social media as their virtual shop window. All that social media noise is getting louder. Yet, marketing messages appear cookie-cutter. At the same time, getting people’s attention is becoming increasingly challenging (unless you have a million dollar marketing budget).

Meaningful Content, Passionate Engagement, Sincere Collaboration

You and I will have to do an even better job of telling our story to be able to cut through the social media clutter. And here’s the truth: You won’t succeed by publishing more content. You will succeed, however, by publishing better and more meaningful content. You will increase your chances of success even further by being passionate about the way you engage with your audience and by being true-hearted and sincere in the way you collaborate with others.

In the near future, social media success will no longer be won by the sheer numbers game. You will be able to measure social media success using metrics like: the quality of relationships gained and the rise in happy customers/clients.

Go for “Happy Profits”

I’m a big believer in “purpose before profit”. If you focus on your purpose and let purpose permeate every detail in your business (the way you tell your story, the way you engage your audience, your products and offerings), your purpose will lead you to what I call “happy profits.” Your audience will be inspired and give/buy/engage from the heart, and not from the pocketbook.

Spirituality and Branding

When I think about spirituality, these questions come up: Where do I find meaning? How do I feel connected? How do I want to live? How do I want to feel?

I understand that there are many definitions for the concept of spirituality but to me, in the simplest terms, spirituality refers to aspiring to living a meaningful life that includes doing purposeful work grounded in such principles as harmony, community and service.

You can find an interesting overview of modern spirituality on Wikipedia: “[…] A new discourse developed, in which (humanistic) psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions and eastern religions are being blended, to reach the true self by self-disclosure, free expression and meditation.”

Whether you’re a solopreneur, a small business or a bigger brand, you should start your branding journey from a place of introspection. As brands are thought leaders in their respective industry, those at the helm need to answer questions about the purpose of their business and the impact they want to make. That reflective process is closely related to a person’s spiritual journey.

Here are some ways spirituality in branding can make a difference:

1. Spirituality helps you discover your deepest passion as you’re connecting with yourself. Brands that want to stand out in today’s noisy world need to connect to their roots, their purpose and answer the question “why do we exist?” to be able to be authentic and speak with a #truevoice.

2. Spirituality helps you develop empathy and compassion. Empathy is an essential condition to be able to be a successful marketer as it helps you put yourself in the mind of your audience, understand their needs and truly care about helping them.

3. Spirituality fosters creativity. Studies have shown a direct connection between meditation and creativity. Our brains need that reset button from time to time to be able to think clearly and come up with fresh ideas. There might be a way for you (and your team) to develop a daily practice of mindful meditation (let’s start with 10 minutes!) and bring spirituality into your everyday work.

4. A spiritual practice makes you more mindful and aware of how you act in the world. Self-awareness is the first step to developing your #truevoice – a voice that speaks from your heart and is connected to your purpose. Clarity, enthusiasm, better collaboration, trustworthiness and a desire to grow or adjust are the result of a spiritual practice. All of these will have a direct effect on how you steer your brand, whether it’s a personal brand or a corporate brand.

I’m leaving you with a quote from Naomi Klein which I love because it highlights why so many people are drawn to meaningful brands that can make a positive difference in their lives and in the world. Again, let’s put purpose before profit. And to do that involving spirituality in branding is the answer.