Creative Leverage: You’ve either got it, or you don’t…
Either you’ve got it, or you don’t.
Ok so, quickly!
Review the list below and guess what all of these creative moguls have in common.
Don’t overthink it, just say the first thing that comes to mind (besides cash, ok? ;)…
Leanne Ford
Corey Damen Jenkins
Martha Stewart
Kelly Wearstler
Justina Blakeney
Marie Kondo
Joanna + Chip Gaines
I’m curious….what came up for you?
Did you say success?
A TV show, books, or magazines?
Product lines?
Maybe a particular retailer like Target? Or Crate + Barrel?
Maybe you thought about a certain style, or even a specific project, or place like LA, The Hamptons, or the Santa Monica Proper.
Perhaps you even thought first about their message: empowering you to do things that spark joy or make you feel free.
The point of this little exercise was to illustrate how—through their dedication to building a consistent and emotional messaging strategy—each of these designers have built an empire with their brand.
They’ve crafted a narrative for their brand based on an ideology—not a design style or a particular type of design like commercial or residential or diy, even—but on how their brand makes you feel.
Their ability to craft consistent marketing narratives around that one gorgeous emotion allows them to grow exponentially using one of the most powerful tools in business:
Creative leverage.
Creative leverage is what allows Marie Kondo to sell not just services that help you “tidy up”, but multiple product accessory lines to help you stay organized and in a joy state, TV shows and endorsements that influence people around the world, and even the ability to train over 10K consultants in her specific process.
✨ AMAZING.
Marie Kondo’s brand message gives her creative leverage to do anything she damn well pleases in her business, from selling products to services to courses, but every decision clearly ladders back up to her brand’s ideology of using joy to help others live the lives they deserve. ♥️
So, my creative friends.
I’ll leave you with this thought to ponder:
How are you creating leverage in your business?
If you cannot immediately and consistently share the key ideology that’s driving decision making in your business—from who you decide to work with to how you market your business—then how do you expect to dominate your brand position, grow marketshare, or attract the kinds of clients and customers that want to work with you and only you?
To present an irresistible case to a potential partner brand for licensing or product collabs?
Corey Damen Jenkins new course for MasterClass emphasizes self-discovery in design—an inspirational and accessible ideology that empowers anyone to design spaces they will love!
How will you protect your brand from seeming to be matchy matchy with your competition?
Or, more importantly, how will your marketing be authentically persuasive to those who really need your services and products to live their best lives?
I’m all ears, so if this post brings up something for you, send me an email and share your thoughts.
I read every one, and it helps me create content to serve you better. 🚀 🙌
____________
💥 Ready to learn what the best brands know about marketing that you don’t? Watch our free marketing masterclass here.
*About the author
Ericka Saurit (enchanté in case we haven’t met! 👋) is a designer and brand strategist, obsessed with how our built environment shapes the human experience.
Through this blog and her popular newsletter, she shares stories and insights about marketing, branding, and the home industry’s creative pulse.
*My hope is to spark ideas that help you grow your business and build a brand that truly shines.✨