Fire in the Brand Belly

I’ve had a lot of time to think about my business life over the past several months. And I’ve come to an important conclusion: business is so personal.

I say that because our lives are… right now! Whether you’re at work, at home or at play, those are your moments. How do you want to spend them? Put differently, in what state do you want to spend them?

Do you want to be in a bored state, dulled and numbed into just another number at your place of work (because a number is exactly what you’ll be if you allow yourself to fall into that state)? OR, do you want to be in a state of constant exhilaration because you can’t get enough of what you’re doing?!

I choose the latter. I’ve always felt that way. But now, after time as a free agent away from significant distractions, I feel this way more than ever.

And let me tell you (I’m sure you’ll agree!), unless you have a fire in your belly about the brand you’re a part of, work is going to feel a lot like work and the brand itself will suffer or at a minimum be just that bit more vulnerable to lost opportunity.

You’ve got to have passion for what you do. You’ve got to have a passion for your brand. If you’ve got that fire, then you’ll be more than a brand ambassador. You’ll be a raving fan. And don’t you think a big difference lies between those two (ambassador and raving fan)? I want the raving fan on my team. I’ll take ambassadors, too. But I want a large share of raving fans, too. Each has their place.

Think about your organization as it is today. Does it have fire in its belly? Are people excited to tell and share their brand stories? If not, then back up, return to this fundamental brand building block and find ways to get the fire burning.

Sometimes, all you need is smoke. And when it’s lit, fan the flames. Get the fire burning strongly in your brand belly.

I’m going to be looking over the next while for organizations/brands that do this well. If you know of any, please share them here.