Are you sitting comfortably?

A couple of months ago I hurt myself whilst trying to lift a tree stump. And whilst the injury was to my back - a herniated L3 disk since you ask - the principal symptoms were numbness and hyperesthesia in my right leg.  After guzzling nonsteroidals and co-codamol for a few days, I got to see a physio and an osteopath. They concurred that the disc bulge was impinging my femoral nerve. Hence the tingling.

Because of the pain and weakness, I broke my daily routine of running and took to sitting around more. I was doing the occasional stretch, but usually towards the TV remote or beer bottle. The result. Over the last few weeks, my resting heart rate has rocketed, and my body is in no shape for the beach.

The relevance for brand marketing? Not too big a stretch. Referred pain is a metaphor for strategic uncertainty.  People don’t often know that they have a strategy problem – a lack of clarity about their brand positioning, proposition and personality. They are generally more tuned into executional issues – the need to build awareness; convert consideration into choice; drive more traffic to their digital channels.  

But a poorly performing LinkedIn presence is the throbbing knee, not the injured back. It’s the strategic spine that’s often out of whack and needs attention by focusing on rebuilding core strength. Only by addressing the positioning fundamentals of relevance and differentiation can you build match fitness and heighten performance.

To achieve your goals, your strategic spine must be aligned, not bulgy. You need to be coherent about what you stand for; how you stand out; and where you stand up. Good posture matters.

Written by Alec Rattray

See how Chromatic has helped brands to develop clear strategies: