Creating a Big Picture Vision for Your Brand and Business

For many, entrepreneurship is a journey and goals feel like a destination. Goals are supposed to be smart, but sometimes they can become overwhelming.

So I’ve shifted my perspective from setting goals to creating a “big picture vision” which focuses on the visualization of who I want to be and where I want to go with my brand, business, and life. A big picture vision evolves the concept of goal setting and makes it more organic and sustainable to life’s plot twists.

One’s big picture vision gives you the space to shift gears, as you see fit, and keeps you focused enough to stay on track with your intentions. Here is everything to consider for yourself and business, when shifting your mind from goal-setting to vision building.

V – VALUE DRIVEN

When your big picture vision is value driven, you will give more than you receive. This helps build your brand’s reputation as an authority and it also positions your business to be trustworthy.

The more you give, the more people will come to you for advice, resources, guidance and support. You become invaluable and your business grows from this growing relationship that is built on earned respect.

I – INTERACTIVE

When your big picture vision is interactive, you are engaged with your audience. In doing so, you create a 2-way conversation that factors in the needs and wants of those you intend to serve.

Your audience becomes invested in the relationship when they know you’re not only listening but also responding with their best interest in mind.

S – SIGNATURE MARK

When your big picture vision has a signature mark, you are leaving an impressionable imprint that distinguishes you from others. This could be in the form of a personalized send-off in your emails or a branded experience when someone interacts with you.

For your brand, your signature mark could be a consistent visual aesthetics or catchy semantics like “xoxo, Gossip Girl.” For your business, your signature mark could be a signature offering, product, or program like Marie Forleo’s “B School.”

I – INTENTIONAL

When your big picture vision is intentional, you are creating a strategy that is purposeful. Your WHY is front and center with everything you do. There’s a meaning to every interaction, conversation, transaction, and engagement.

Brands like Pura Vida Bracelets, donate a portion of each sale to a charity that aligns with their mission. This is a great example for intentionally connecting your brand with your purpose.

O – OPEN

When your big picture vision is open and expansive, this allows you to be receptive to change. By being open you’re able to pivot, whenever and as many times as you need to. Being open also gives you the opportunity to be transparent about your intentions.

An open big picture vision is one that adapts with life’s plot twists so that your entrepreneurial journey is an interesting one with teachable experiences.

N – NARRATIVE BASED

When your big picture vision has a compelling narrative, you allow others to participate in your story. Your business is audience-focused. It’s about them, their wants, and their needs. Your brand is YOU-focused. It’s about your passion, your story and your experience.

Creating a big picture vision that factors in your narrative is the bridge to uniting the YOU-focused brand with an audience-focused business. Embrace this as an inward-outward process. Creating your vision starts with identifying your WHY, envisioning your future and reverse-engineering the steps to getting there in a realistic and meaningful way.