I killed a snake
The snake murderer's guide to branding.
Ben Mukoma
3/23/20233 min read
Hiss-teria? 👀
I passionately dislike snakes. Even though I have spent a night in bed with two snakes and I’m still alive to tell the story. A story for another day. 😁
Well, a few months back I arrived early at my church, where I was serving in the Tech Crew. I had beaten the call of my bed and the cold wind that blows purposefully in the Nairobi mornings. As Tech Crew, were in church by 7:30 to ready the space for the 10 am service.
Our Church is an A-frame and set within a lush green compound, full of birds and monkeys. And, at times, snakes. Around the tent are cement tiles, allowing us to walk around the church without encountering the morning dew. These tiles warm up during the day and cool down slower during the night. The space between the tent canvas and the flooring has a small gap.
On this amazing day, the mood was all positive. Chairs were being set. Speakers were playing some nice Christian jams. High Fives, hugs, and smiles were going around. And all was well. Until one crew member released a loud shriek and started running screaming, “Snake!”
As she had been opening the tent flaps to create partways and airways, she met a snake... It was just chilling on the warm tile, in the small gap, enjoying the warmth afforded by the tile, away from any predators and disturbances.
There are 4 different responses when there is acute stress:
Fight - a physical response where you turn towards the source of danger and prepare to defend yourself.
Flight - a physical response where you run away from the source of danger.
Freeze - where your body does not commit to any physical reaction at all.
Fawn - typically a post-flight, flight, or freeze attempt where you become agreeable to the source of danger.
On that day, a majority of us were caught in the first three responses. Most people had hiss-steria. 🤣 I am pretty fast, especially if I have to save my life. Do you know what I chose to do? I was among the three guys who opted for a fight. Yes, I ran towards the snake’s last seen location. No, it isn’t a matter of braveness, it was my dislike for snakes.
Within the next few minutes, I had a stick in my hand. Guy 2 was lifting the tent flap to expose the snake as well as giving me directions while Guy 3 was giving moral support and reassuring the freeze and flight teams as he held up the other tent flap. The snake, still peacefully sleeping through all this, probably full, was brought to awakeness by a hit on its head. I held the head down, crushing it, as the snake coiled around the no-so-short stick I had. Then it finally stopped moving and its case was over.
Guy 3 updated the people and they came closer to see the snake. They were, for sure, very grateful and impressed. The lady also came back to see her source of troubles killed. Finally, normalcy resumed and we finished the setup. By the time church started, we were all relaxed and chatting away as if nothing happened. The three of us were present to kill the snake that scared some of us and threatened to kill the mood.
What is your client’s snake?
Businesses exist to solve a problem in society. Your audience has a snake that scares them or even kills a part of them. Bakers provide enjoyable events, makeup artists boost confidence, and car dealers enable transportation. If you have an idea to solve a specific problem but choose not to do so, you're doing an injustice to society.
Maybe you fawn. Thinking that the problem cannot be solved. That is far from the truth. You might be the one to change the narrative.
Maybe you freeze. You don’t know where to start or who to talk to. You are afraid of taking the plunge and afraid of regretting not taking the plunge. You need to respond to the problem at the right time.
Maybe you choose flight. Don’t run away from the idea you have. Stop postponing starting the business. Stop postponing sending that email. Stop the procrastination. Stop talking about it without implementing it.
You ought to choose to fight. Fight for your audience and clients. Fight for their peace. Fight for their freedom. Fight for their joy. Fight for their peace. Fight to impact their lives. Fight for their careers. Fight for their families. This should be it.
What is your snake?
As you build a brand around your idea, you might face challenges in winning your audience's attention, converting them into clients, or retaining them. If you have encountered a "snake" in your business or branding journey, don't hesitate to reach out for help. Don't let your snake bite you. I've got you.
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