Intention is more than a term used in the woo sections of entrepreneurship. It describes the focus that goes into several aspects of a business. To practice intention is to think through the various parts of a piece deliberately and carry through the why of the company.
Design Intention
Design is one of the first things people notice. It is the item that tends to draw the eye though content, color, font, or some combination thereof. When someone is scrolling through a social media feed, it’s what makes them stop to read the caption.
The basis of design often starts with branding. Some people start with a feeling, while others pick a selection of colors to carry throughout the business messaging. There is also a tendency to select business fonts, which add even more recognizability. From there, a business may or may not choose a motif. All these combined together form a business’s signature style.
When talking about design intention, it’s mostly about making a choice to stay consistent with imagery across different platforms and posts. Sometimes, however, it’s about executing change. Just like humans, businesses tend to evolve over time. Sometimes, branding needs an update, and intentionally implementing that can grow a business beyond measure.
Written Intention
Writing is another area to practice intention. Depending on the business, over time the owner or writer develops a personality for that business. This voice achieves its own unique branding capability far beyond tone and point of view.
A unique voice doesn’t mean the style is not imitable. Indeed, writers have been making a living doing so for centuries. It does, however, mean that writing is one part of practicing intention. After design, it’s the next thing people see if they are enticed to stop.
Writing styles often attract or repel people since they’re indicative of personality. In a lot of ways, like draws like. This blog post wouldn’t be as appealing written formally, would it?
Business Intention
Business is a series of intentions, whether on the branding choice or the big goals. For most, a lot of intention goes into setting goals for the weeks, months, quarters, and in some cases years. These goals are recognition of where someone wants to be and often the steps to get there.
To practice business intention is to see the big picture. In laying out the picture and the pieces to build it, it sets up the work. Moreover, it goes back further up than that. Business owners choose the purpose of their company and who they work with. By narrowing their focus, they actually help their company succeed.
Parting Thoughts
Businesses need the practice of intention to go forward. Even without a woo aspect to it, intentions move a company forward in measurable ways. For example, brand recognition leads to more followers who in turn become paying clients. Consider how intention is affecting business, and if something needs to change.