WORKING WITH PURPOSE MOVING MOUNTAINS

Most of us as adults have been used to a certain style of working in our lives – that which we have identified with and are firmly ensconced in. I use the word ‘ensconced’ because most feel trapped at work and yet will plough on day after day on autopilot mode. We even label this as ‘work ethic’ and we know that if we work certain hours a day, certain hours a week-it enables us to live a certain kind of life that we feel we want or are even entitled to. 

But this certain ‘something’ where does it come from? And what is it pre-packaged with that makes us either hard workers, slow workers, fast workers, diligent workers, lazy workers, checked out workers, bad/good workers, driven workers, motivated workers- all kinds of workers. All of this has an effect and a consequence one way or the other- not just in our workplaces but also equally in our personal lives. What we live at work and move is what we take home and vice versa and this cycle is endless. 

 

The entire planet’s evolution and the evolution of our species is based on how we work – when we work and why we work- is it not? What’s the main reason we work in our chosen professions?

We have now seen a massive paradigm shift in the working culture globally and how organisations and individuals relate to each other in that. 

We are now in a different kind of world -A world where information flows freely and there is this sense of a no holds barred way of communication- where anyone can say anything to anyone across the world and get away with it. And we call this the right and the freedom of speech and expression when it comes disguised to hurt and harm another. All types of media have become platforms of harm and abuse and this unfolding of ugliness is now at the forefront of human engagement. And did we say we are an evolved species?? What makes us harm another, What are we denying each time we write or speak or express in a manner that is counter evolutionary to Truth. Why do we think we can get away with Lies and Lies covered as Truth? What forms of censorship are we under when we are so easily blind to the momentum of harm and abuse we have been under and have been allowing for years so adeptly? 

And how does this affect our purpose in life- at work? How can we move mountains when we have allowed ourselves to be submerged by the lies that we are in collusion with even if we may choose to not see it or address it. 

We go about silently in suffering and we move in the toxic whirlpools of resentment, bitterness, jealousy, comparison, competition, coercion, office bullying, sexual impositions and so much more and this has an effect on our quality. We think we are entitled to our share of the pie and we expect everything else, everyone else to acquiesce to our whims and fancies- our incessant demands in a world that has become very unforgiving and cruel in many ways. We have long forgotten our true ways of moving, living  and expressing and have instead settled for standards that are lower than we started off with. 

 

In all this what we have failed to address is the keyword- ‘quality’.

The quality of our own movements inside work, the quality of our actions, our words, our written emails, memos, voice notes we send to each other, the quality of our engagement with one another- intimate relationships, work colleagues, employers and employees, family members, friends and even those we consider strangers or people we meet in our brief moments.

What is the quality we have been bringing to our workplaces and work lives for so long?

 How come we have not questioned this ? How come we have not questioned how we live and how we work harms our businesses, our clientele, our fellow colleagues and the industries we work in? Or how we live can actually support each other’s evolution- true progress. 

What have we failed to bring to our own conscious forefront in spite of so many global advancements that we have regressed even lower into a way of life that is sub par and lacks vitality, vivacity and true sexiness. We are all imploding inside hurt and pain and anger and unresolved stuff when we have all the access and the opportunity to explode daily with joy and love and fun- actual fun even when we are at work for most of our living breathing lives. 

One of the key factors when it comes to actually understanding what this really means can be attributed to -Trust.

A trust within oneself first to then be able to reflect that to another. Trusting oneself to be truly joyful and truly loving and holding of others no matter what. But this trust comes with the ability to work consistently, diligently and solidly in life and at one’s place of chosen work no matter what work one does. Building rock solid foundations within one’s own life both personally and professionally is all about trusting and allowing oneself to make mistakes, to grow, to learn constantly and to make every part of one’s life only about enrichment. 

We are here to make our lives about being in service to others and by this I certainly do not mean ‘charity’ where it is so easy to let oneself go, to make it only about others or a so-called world saving cause from an idealistic place rather than a place of being true to oneself. 

True service instead is about contributing toward our societies in a true manner and this is what we bring to the companies, organisations and brands we work with and work in- in our daily lives. 

Work- honest hard work the old school way has kind of been forsaken for instant gratification where everyone wants to make those big bucks, get all the company benefits and bonuses, climb high up the so called ‘success’ ladder at the cost of one’s own values, at the cost of others, and at the cost of truth. 

Products and services come later but first is always the quality that we work in, that we go to work in and the quality we are with each other.

That’s the truth of being in purposeful work 24/7.

A truth that is for the All and not for just the benefit of the few- not just for the ones in so called power positions but for literally everybody. One all equalising truth that then one takes to one’s life every single day- and this kind of way of life is felt by others all around.

I have come to realise in recent times that the more I make my life about people, about relationships, about truth that does not belittle anyone or takes anything for granted- the more I am able to work in a manner that is solid and true and that by itself then moves mountains of the unseen kind. This also takes away the tension of losing clients, landing in financial difficulties, not having enough money or work, or not being able to bring through what’s needed for one’s clients etc- All that white noise is deconstructed the moment one makes it about a Purpose that is much grander and larger than oneself and one’s needs. Especially in the particular industry I work in where we are constantly under pressure of client’s expectations and our own. Where we are dealing with forces constantly- market forces, industry dynamics, infighting between each other, undercutting of fees, lack of trust and due diligence and above all greed and a lsut for fame and name rather than actually doing great work. 

How cool then to reflect a steady presence of being solid and true at work in the present times when very few are actually staying committed to work and life – when most of humanity wants to sit on their asses under cover of ‘work from home’ and contribute the bare minimum to slide past the radar and that’s it.  To me it’s not about digital strategy or unlocking growth or any of those industry parameters but first and foremost about being trustworthy and hard working without any sense of entitlement that undercuts another. 

True Purpose moves us grander and greater and this transforms our worlds- both inner and outer. It’s the base of those mega mountains that we are here to move all our lives for each other. 

The more we move with the power of this in our lives the faster we cut through the disparity and lies that currently have gripped our world. 

We are here to Move Mountains and beyond…

Here at  Elixir we work closely with you to ensure your brand is supported right from the word ‘go’. We love to unlock growth for you and your brand that holds the tests of time by our deep diving strategies and above all our due diligence and hard work.

https://www.elixirholisticconsultancy.com/services/creative.html

Our digital strategist & brand founder Chetan Jha is the author of this blog. He leads passionately through disruption, change and innovation across the board.  To find out more how we can support you to level up, email us: 

London@elixirholisticconsultancy.com 

 

Brand Voice & Identity- How do you build it?

 

Consistent content that is also engaging to your audience is one of the most effective ways to build awareness for your brand and also garner long term loyalty.

But in this extremely cluttered and competitive world- it’s not an easy task to stand out with your brand voice and get heard even. What we have realised over the years is that to build trust in your brand/product/service you have got to show transparency beyond the glossy exterior and offer authenticity and ‘realness’ which people are seeking more than ever before. With this, your customers get to know you better through your brand’s story; vision and values and that’s what builds the real connection.

Define brand identity 

What really goes the distance is having a clear cut vision for your brand; its values and its standards.  So get granular on this from the offset or do it now even if you’re already established.  Then look – or take another look – at your brand voice and tone. So now you know what you’re communicating and how you’re communicating, across all your channels. To get your target audience to understand and connect to the essence of your brand, you have to first define not just the USP which differentiates you, but what actually makes your brand authentic, what was the initial inspiration behind it? How did it come about? Most likely it have a unique story and there were challenges along the way, which were faced and overcome.  This can inspire your audience and may even be aspirational.

The Process

A combination of strategic and creative processes evolve the brand to express and it’s personality takes shape when you reference your brand to something that’s larger than just purely the commercial aspect: the selling of a product or marketing of a service.  Think bigger picture. How does your product or service actually serve?  How does it enhance or improve peoples’ life?

This also means that it’s not just about implementing a great digital marketing strategy, but using these tools to cultivate and build loyalty, while fostering meaningful – and possibly long term – relationships with your audience. One could say it’s also about integrity: walking your talk. People can normally sense it.

Choose your content creation tools

The tools of the trade matter. There are a plethora of content creation tools from graphic design, video editing, animation, podcasting, blog platforms, and social media management tools.  From videos and images, gifs to infographics, ebooks and webinars, they can all contribute to brand engagement that draw your audience in.

Identifying your audience

What’s key is to have a feel for your audience and how does your brand’s voice appeal to it. To create value and give your audience a reason to come back to engage with your brand is not about just creating the pretty social media posts, or writing word-perfect content, or even simply presenting solutions for your audience, it goes beyond this. Even though all of these matter too of course, but they should come second to all the aforementioned aspects.

Test and optimise your content

Testing and optimising your content to see what tuning it needs is again key in determining how your brand’s content is being perceived, accepted and engaged with. Every marketer is focussed on measuring performance via KPIs and metrics, and it’s important to keep testing your content and never rest on your laurels, as we’re in an ever evolving landscape. You can get amazing analytical insights into the brand’s reach and the kind of audience that it is engaging with Analytics (Google), performance surveys, social media insights etc.

Ultimately consistency and due diligence is the best way to understanding one’s brand audience: their preferences and tastes, plus market dynamics, needs, pain points and this then sets the benchmark for your branding and comms to constantly evolve.

Taking one’s audience and customers for granted is a very common and a big mistake brands can make. Your brand has to continue to drive value, educate, and inspire. Simple!

Here at  Elixir we sit with you and understand what your brand needs, your vision, mission and target audience. We work closely with you to ensure your brand is supported right from the word ‘go’.

https://www.elixirholisticconsultancy.com/services/creative.html

Our digital strategist & brand founder Chetan Jha is the author of this blog. He leads passionately through disruption, change and innovation across the board.  To find out more how we can support you to level up, email us: 

London@elixirholisticconsultancy.com 

 

Meet the Unexpected – Global Digital E-Commerce trends 2023- What’s really going On in 2023 and beyond?

 

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

There is a constant massive shift underway and life, work and everything else feels like one relentless wild ride with mostly everyone facing the loss of control and balance. Continue reading “Meet the Unexpected – Global Digital E-Commerce trends 2023- What’s really going On in 2023 and beyond?”

Working with Purpose- Collaborate to Co-Create

Photo by Ramón Salinero on Unsplash

Many people are running the narrative that the past few years have done us wrong. From Brexit, Covid, politics (‘The Tories’ etc) and now we feel the world owes us some kind of retribution for what’s happened. Few people are willing to take a share of responsibility for what’s gone down, or to put in the time and due diligence to make necessary changes in their life.  Do we not all operate with some kind of entitlement?  Wouldn’t many of us, if we were being honest, love the idea of working less, putting in minimal effort for maximum reward?  Has the last 3 years affected our work ethic and left us more ‘checked out’ than ever? Continue reading “Working with Purpose- Collaborate to Co-Create”

WHAT DOES CUSTOMER RETENTION MEAN and how do you Maximise ?

(photo courtesy of nathan dumlao)

What does it take to earn devotion aka customer trust aka customer retention ?

Standing out in a world of choice isn’t easy. Earning consumer devotion to a brand/ store takes more than just offering a good product/service. Price, packaging, customer service, and reputation are just some of the factors involved in a consumer’s decision-making process. But these factors are secondary to the true intention of why do you want your consumer to come back to you?  Continue reading “WHAT DOES CUSTOMER RETENTION MEAN and how do you Maximise ?”

Business: Is It All About Relationships?

(Photo courtesy- blake wisz)

Every brand wants a loyal customer, a customer that is with them throughout time, through ups and downs no matter what. After all, isn’t it similar to any relationship (marriage or partnership/friendship)? But what if this way of thinking, as it has been in marriages/partner relationships especially, is just a redundant ideal and does not truly serve any purpose to those involved? Continue reading “Business: Is It All About Relationships?”

Changing The Game: Doing Business in a Digital Era

For too long we have been conditioned to work and do business in a manner which is all about efficiency,rules, rights and wrongs, good and bad, policies and procedures, politeness, niceties mixed with large doses of daily grind. Have we missed something here?  Have we failed to see that this approach often gives a sense of disconnect and frustration coupled with complications so deeply ingrained that many businesses, business owners and employees lose their mojo and lose sight of the business core values.  Continue reading “Changing The Game: Doing Business in a Digital Era”

Is your Business Leading The Change?

photo : (Alan Johnston)

We are all on the cusp of something and many are getting a sense of this.  Perhaps an unsettlement within ourselves that ‘this is not it’; that this life which we have carved out for ourselves is not the be all and the end all, and there is something beyond.  Continue reading “Is your Business Leading The Change?”

CORE WEB VITALS – HOW DO THEY IMPACT YOUR DIGITAL BUSINESS

In our last blog, I mentioned Core Web Vitals as one of the key trends and so I decided to speak to our tech team to better understand this myself. And also to bring a simpler understanding to anyone out there who is a Non-SEO professional. 

For most marketing campaigns their main goal is how to optimise on conversions. UX (User Experience) has a tangible effect on overall conversion rates for any online business. A frustrating experience for users is always slow loading time which is directly related to a higher bounce rate- the very opposite of what you wish for your target audience. It’s like coming to a brick and mortar shop only to find that there is debris around the entrance which makes it longer and painstaking to get in. Continue reading “CORE WEB VITALS – HOW DO THEY IMPACT YOUR DIGITAL BUSINESS”

STAYING ON TOP- SEO 2021

Most of us will remember when online advertising first started and how it was the hottest thing for any marketer and brand owner. We now live in an era where the Internet is not just an essential communication tool but a connecting bridge between worlds and cultures.  Continue reading “STAYING ON TOP- SEO 2021”