Balancing the specific with the visionary for a brand with SPARK

I briefly introduced a new framework to measure the “STANDOUT-edness” of your brand with a simple 5-letter acronym: S P A R K.

Websites and brands that stand out (and stand apart) share these 5 characteristics:

01 SPECIFIC — they speak to a specific type of person, with enough detail that it’s clear who they serve, what they offer, and how they’re different.

02 PERSONAL — it’s clear that a real person or people are behind the brand; there’s a human element that we can know, like, and trust. They don’t represent an impersonal “we” but a collective “us”.

03 ASPIRATIONAL — I first introduced this as “ambitious” but now I think “aspirational” is more accurate. They operate from a greater sense of purpose that can be seen and felt. And they attract others that aspire to similar goals.

04 REPETITIVE — they reiterate and reinforce their main message in every “touch point”, through their copy, design, and the experience they create. In doing this, they become known as the “go-to” in their category or niche.

05 KINDRED — their audience feels a sense of connection to the brand, as if they are “kindred spirits” with shared or similar values.

In these 5 characteristics, there’s an important balance happening between the big-picture dreams and the specific details.

So let’s unpack that a bit and talk about how to find the right balance between the widely relatable and the specifically resonant (because a standout brand needs both).

Step 1: Go Narrow

One thing I see emerging entrepreneurs struggling with the most is how to narrow in on their “niche”. And that’s often because they don’t know…

WHO it is they serve (or even WHAT, specifically, they do for them).
Or HOW they’re different (in terms of their values, vision, and processes, etc).

Because they haven’t done the work of uncovering their values and articulating their vibe as a brand, they haven’t taken a stand for anything. So, naturally, it feels nearly impossible for them to stand out.

And — perhaps because they’re struggling to stand out — they’re afraid of narrowing in on their ONE perfect type of person. They keep their messaging generic and opt for “buzz words” that sit on the surface but don’t really say anything.

The solution to this is to do research:
:: Research yourself — articulate your brand vision, values, and vibe.
:: Research your peers — articulate the gaps you see and how you’re different.
:: Research your people — articulate the type of person you want to work with and the type of transformation you can offer them.

Step 2: Go Wide

Once you’ve done the research, narrowed in, and articulated the specific messages that will resonate with your people…

Then it’s time to go wide.

Think about your mission and big-picture message. This is where your “WHY” comes into play, your vision for starting this business, your aspirational purpose for existing as a brand.
If one of your big goals is to empower more women to step into leadership positions, then how will you repeat this theme throughout your copy, design, and social media?

Your message is relevant to your messaging.

So, by casting the wider vision and then speaking to the specific details, you can create brand messaging that has SPARK.

If it helps, you can think about this like a film director — you want a good balance between wide-angle shots and close-ups to keep people engaged with the story and hungry for more.

I’m still articulating + refining my SPARK brand formula — this is a work in progress, not a fully-formed piece.

So I’d love to collaborate with you all on this!

If you have any ideas or examples to contribute — any brands you see modeling this “SPARK” framework really well — share them :)