The Power of Definitions
The In Pursuit of Branding Newsletter #36
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I was on a client call last week discussing their case statement. The conversation turned to word choice and whether certain terms should make the cut due to potentially negative connotations.
My recommendation? Write down how he wanted the brand to define those words.
Yes, words can carry baggage and be perceived differently by different people. But at the end of the day, it's the organization's responsibility to put each word in context and shape how it's understood alongside everything else.
My business partner chimed in with a laugh: "Kelly loves her definitions. She's a huge fan of glossaries."
It was one of those moments where someone points out something about you that's so obvious, yet you've never actually noticed it yourself. But she was absolutely right! My go-to response in almost any situation is, "But how do you define that?" Or, "What does that actually mean?"
So in the spirit of taking my own medicine, let's talk about why creating your own branding glossary matters so much.
The Language of Connection
Have you read Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart? It's one of my favorite resources. Not just because I'll devour anything she creates, but because it's so incredibly helpful for the work I do.
The more I immerse myself in brand strategy and communication, the more convinced I am of the power of words. What you say and how you say it isn't just important - it's decisive. It either strengthens connection with your audience or it severs it. And yes, I believe it's that black and white.
She opens the book with a poem attributed to Rumi: Heart is sea, language is shore. Whatever sea includes, will hit the shore.
Her introduction ends with this powerful idea that to connect meaningfully with others, we must first connect with ourselves. And to do either, we need a common understanding of the language of emotion and human experience.
The entire book is her defining and contextualizing the different emotions we experience as humans. I reference it constantly because in my own work, I need to put language to the thoughts and feelings that a brand is trying to evoke.
Why Your Glossary Matters
This brings me back to creating your own glossary and why it has such incredible benefits:
First, it sets the foundation for connected conversations. When you and your client start from the same place - with shared understanding of terminology - beautiful results can follow. You're beginning on an even playing field of comprehension rather than talking past each other.
Second, it's your chance to make your work truly your own. There are countless ways to define branding terms, and each professional will likely have their own definition. But that’s what makes it so cool - it's their own. It's shaped by unique experiences and perspectives that nobody else has lived through. How you define something becomes another way of communicating your viewpoint.
Let's take "brand strategy" as an example. In doing a quick search, here are five different definitions from five different brand strategists (including mine - can you spot it without checking the source?!):
Brand Strategy maps out everything your company has to be, do, and represent in order to match itself to its ideal target market(s). (source)
Brand strategy is the roadmap for building and growing your brand, consistently and cohesively. (source)
Brand strategy is your decision on what you want to stand for: the associations you want to build in people’s minds. (source)
Brand strategy is a wonderful little map that outlines your brand's mission, vision, core values, target market, and brand personality. (source)
Brand strategy is a holistic plan crafted to help you reach long-term business goals. (source)
We're all essentially saying the same thing, but we're each putting our own spin on it. Each definition reflects not just what brand strategy is, but how we approach it.
Creating Your Own Branding Language
What are the words related to your work that you can define and make your own? This is an opportunity to infuse your brand personality into the very building blocks of how you explain what you do.
If you’re starting from square one, start small.
Pick three core terms in your field/space/category/work and define them your way.
Think about:
What these concepts truly mean to you
How your approach might differ from others
The unique value your perspective brings
Your definitions become more than just clarifications; they become part of your brand identity, helping clients understand not just what you do, but how you think.
📘 Something to read:
Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown. As I mentioned already, this book explores 87 emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. I reference it regularly when I’m working with clients and crafting brand personalities and experiences. READ IT
🎙️ Something to listen to:
The Pep Talk Every Consultant Needs Right Now, The Smart Gets Paid Podcast. A quick pick-me-up about running a business, even when things (i.e., the outside world) gets hard. LISTEN TO IT
With that, happy branding :) And we’ll see you back here on April 17!
— Kelly
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