A Wren Says

Raven had problem. She hopped into a social media debate around the idea that Pilates, the exercise  style, was not inclusive. As she pulled her video together, she said with full confidence that it was like a designer bag. A work of skilled craftspeople. You wouldn’t expect luxury goods to inclusive would you?

And that was the statement that killed it. Raven, also know as Pilates by Raven on YouTube, clearly forgot that her brand was all about making Pilates accessible and affordable. And there she was perceived as arguing the opposite.

Rather than reigniting a social media debate about one person, I just want to pick out one thing. In this age of social media, you are your brand. Everything that you post online leads people to form ideas about you. And if you have a business, it’s leading them to form ideas about that, too. All of the opinions, thoughts, and random bits you make public online either enhance or damage that image. And in this case in particular, the connection to the brand was even more undeniable.

Just remember to pause before you post. This is the one case in life where I would encourage you to think first, “What will people think?” Take the time to consider what you’re communicating and if that’s what you really want associated with your brand.