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I’ve taken advantage of the slower summer month and enrolled in a visual thinking course with PJ Milani, whose work I’ve admired for a while now.

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(If you’ve noticed a few more visuals than normal coming from me, this is why, and there are more on the way 👨‍🎨 )

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Today, PJ introduced the concept of a “creative accent” -- signature traits about your visuals that, when combined, identify them as uniquely yours.

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Traits such as:

• Are your visuals minimalist or expressive?
• What’s the color approach? Restrained? Bright?
• How about the tone? Serious? Playful?

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Naturally there’s a spectrum for all of these.

And notably, PJ points out that these aren’t intentional decisions for new illustrators, but rather a natural form that appears with time, and continues to evolve.

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There’s an interesting parallel here with our individual style as consultants.

More specifically, how we show up and the dynamics of how we serve.

Our natural “consulting accent”.

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Try these out -- and consider them honestly.

In your client engagements…

• Are you collaborative or prescriptive?
• Are you discovery-driven or omniscient?
• Are you malleable or rigid?
• Are you warm or clinical?

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There aren’t ‘wrong’ sides for each of these spectrums.

Certain clients will be attracted to certain traits.

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Nor are you likely to use these descriptors in your external messaging.

Even the boldest consultants don’t market a “my way or the highway” approach, even if that binary intensity is exactly what a certain client is looking for.

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But understanding how we naturally show up can guide certain decisions to match your unique style, such as:

• A well-suited niche
• A best-fit ICP (ideal client profile)
• A unique service structure
• A go-to content vehicle

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Like the creative accent, your consulting accent will likely emerge over time.

Resist the urge to suppress it.

Just own it, figure out who it sings to...

And sing just for them.

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💡

-Wes

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P.S. August sprint slots are now open for NicheFinder and IP Builder.

If you're feeling an 'off-season' this summer, let's use it to get in shape for when the work comes roaring back in September.