Stop using ‘heart-led’—Here’s what to do instead

Hi Reader!
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When I work with clients to define or refresh their brand and marketing, one of the first things we dive into is their brand values.

Why? Because your brand values dictate everything—how you serve your clients, how you run your business, and what drives you to keep going. They show up in your messaging, your offers, and in every single interaction you have with your community.

And no, I’m not talking about the trendy, vague ones you’ve probably seen a lot of lately.

Mini rant incoming:

The key to your brand values is specificity. They need to reflect your unique way of showing up every day for your community and clients. I’ll give you an example…

One of My Core Values: Generosity

Having a generous brand is something that was instilled in me during my time at my previous organization. Our founder was incredibly generous—not just by financially supporting a national economic justice nonprofit, but by lifting and supporting the grassroots organizations we worked with.

It was always about empowering our partners on the ground. It wasn’t about us—it was about them. We wanted them to feel supported and to have the resources they needed to succeed.

At District Brand Bar, I carry that spirit of generosity forward in everything I do.

• I don’t gatekeep my knowledge. If I’m in the room with you—whether it’s a free strategy call, a DM exchange, or a workshop—I’m going to share what I know.
• I offer my digital products through free bundles so they get into as many hands as possible.
• I keep my services accessible, from my $27 subscription to affordable 1:1 offers, because I want people at every stage of business to get the support they need.

And... well, I’ve been feeling extra generous this week. 😉

More on that soon, but let’s get back to you.

How do you define your own brand values? In The Marketing Bar, I’ve got a fun exercise to help you figure it out. Imagine you own a bar—how would you run it?

• How would your bartenders treat your customers?
• How would you treat your bartenders, staff, and vendors?
• What feeling would you want every customer to leave with?

It’s a fun way to uncover what makes your brand truly unique.

And when you’re stuck on getting specific, I always recommend asking for help—my trusty sidekick ChatGPT is great for this. Share your business story and values with Chat, and ask it to drill down past the generic ones (like “heart-led”) to find values that feel real and authentic to you—and brainstorm how those values can show up in your business every day.

So, tell me—what’s one of your brand’s core values? Hit reply and let me know! I’d love to hear about it.

Cheers to getting clear on your values—and to a little generosity this week. 😉

Kristin
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P.S. I’ve got a very generous surprise coming for you soon—something exclusive that will only be available for a short time. Trust me, you’ll want to grab a seat at this bar… keep an eye out for the details for more details this week! 🍸

P.P.S. Join my friend Monica Monfre for a FREE training on how to use Threads this Wednesday. In this training, she is going to share how to use Threads to grow your audience and make more sales, PLUS how to see if you have the Threads bonus! She's already made about $900 this quarter.🤯 Register here.

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Kristin Lawton Chief Marketing Mixologist ​District Brand Bar​ ​​​​