I have a branding exercise for you.
There will be no worksheets.
No marketing jargon.
No twenty-seven-page brand questionnaire.
We’re going shopping.
Kind of.
😂
Here’s the question:
If your business were a person, what would it wear?
Not what you would wear.
We’re dressing the business.
And before anybody answers:
“Something professional.”
Absolutely not.
That’s the business equivalent of saying your favorite food is “food.”
I need details.
Picture your business walking into a room.
What do you see?
Maybe your brand is wearing a perfectly tailored black blazer.
Clean jewelry.
Structured bag.
Heels.
Everything intentional.
Okay.
That tells me something.
Maybe yours arrives in jeans, clean sneakers and a relaxed tee.
Nothing fussy.
Comfortable.
Approachable.
Still put together.
That tells me something too.
Maybe your brand has apparently decided subtlety is for other people.
Bright colors.
Statement earrings.
Pattern.
Sparkle.
Shoes that announce themselves before the rest of the outfit enters the room.
Also information.
😂
You’re actually describing personality.
That’s the trick.
When you describe the imaginary outfit, you’re usually choosing words without realizing it.
Polished.
Relaxed.
Traditional.
Modern.
Bold.
Playful.
Minimal.
Luxurious.
Edgy.
Warm.
Creative.
Approachable.
Now we have something useful.
Because those words can become filters for actual branding decisions.
Let’s say your imaginary brand is relaxed and approachable.
Then you create a social graphic that looks extremely formal, stiff and corporate.
Maybe it’s beautiful.
But does it feel like the same business?
Or imagine your brand is supposed to feel refined and luxurious…
but every graphic uses a completely different loud font, random clip art and six unrelated colors.
Again:
Does that outfit belong to this person?
That’s what consistency starts to mean beyond simply using the same logo.
Branding isn’t a uniform.
I don’t want this exercise misunderstood.
Your business doesn’t need to look identical everywhere.
People don’t wear the exact same outfit every day either.
Your brand can have range.
Maybe the imaginary person wears a blazer for one occasion and jeans for another.
But you’d probably still recognize their style.
There are recurring choices.
Colors.
Shapes.
Textures.
Attitude.
Personality.
That’s more interesting to me than forcing every single business graphic into the exact same template forever.
Consistency doesn’t have to mean cloning.
It can mean:
These things clearly belong to the same world.
And your brand doesn’t have to dress like you.
This part matters.
The founder and the brand are related.
They’re not necessarily identical.
Maybe you personally want to spend Saturday in fluffy Crocs, comfortable clothes and absolutely nothing requiring ironing.
Understandable.
😂
But perhaps your business personality is much more polished.
Or maybe you’re personally quiet and neutral while your brand is loud, colorful and playful.
That’s completely fine.
The question is about the personality you’re building around the business.
Not whether your closet personally matches the color palette.
Now take the imaginary outfit apart.
Once you’ve pictured it, ask why you chose each part.
Why the blazer?
Structured. Confident. Polished.
Why sneakers?
Comfortable. Accessible. Casual.
Why rose-gold jewelry?
Warm. Feminine. Elevated.
Why bright colors?
Energetic. Playful. Visible.
Why minimal accessories?
Clean. Calm. Intentional.
Those words are the useful part.
Write them down.
Now ask:
Does my current brand actually communicate these things?
Look at your business through those words.
If your brand is supposed to feel warm and approachable…
does your copy?
If it’s supposed to feel bold…
do your graphics?
If it’s supposed to feel simple…
is your website easy to navigate?
If it’s supposed to feel polished…
are your customer-facing materials polished?
If it’s supposed to feel playful…
does every caption sound like it was approved by a corporate legal department?
😂
This is where a silly exercise starts becoming an actual brand audit.
You can even use it when you’re stuck.
You’re choosing between two website designs.
Which one would your brand wear?
You’re considering a new font.
Would this imaginary person choose it?
You’re planning photos.
Which environment feels like them?
You’re writing copy.
Would they actually talk like that?
Obviously, you don’t need to literally ask what shoes your logo would wear before every marketing decision.
We’re not starting a new branch of fashion psychology here.
😂
It’s simply another way to get outside of:
“Do I like this?”
and move toward:
“Does this fit the brand I’m building?”
Those are different questions.
So now I want the outfit.
Picture your business walking through a door.
What is it wearing?
What color?
What shoes?
Jewelry?
Bag?
Glasses?
Watch?
Nothing?
Is everything perfectly coordinated?
Is it intentionally mismatched?
Is it understated?
Is it impossible to miss?
There isn’t a correct outfit.
That’s the point.
But if you genuinely can’t picture anything…
that might be telling you something too.
Maybe the personality of the brand hasn’t been defined yet.
And that’s something worth exploring.
Because your brand doesn’t need an actual closet.
But it should eventually feel enough like something that you know what belongs in its world…
and what doesn’t.
Now:
Dress your business.
I want details.
😂
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