Three-Word Brand Barometer
Define three desired traits and measure every piece of content against them
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 94%
The Three-Word Brand Barometer converts an abstract brand aspiration into a practical editorial test. The owner selects three distinct qualities they want customers to mention when describing them to someone else. Each quality is then translated into observable behavior: a person who wants to appear fun must publish genuinely fun material, while someone who wants to be seen as skilled must demonstrate strong work. Before publishing, every piece of content is checked against these qualities rather than against generic standards of polish or popularity. The objective is not to appeal to everyone; it is to create a recognizable signal for the relatively small group of customers who value that combination. Over time, audience language reveals whether the intended reputation is taking hold.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show during a live hot seat in which Jasmine helped a new freelancer turn the words “fun,” “weird,” and “good at what you do” into content criteria.
Core principles
- 01A brand is the reputation people repeat when you are absent.
- 02Desired brand traits must be demonstrated through behavior and content.
- 03A narrow set of traits creates clearer creative decisions.
- 04Specific customers matter more than universal approval.
- 05Authenticity does not require unfiltered oversharing.
How to run it
- 1
Choose Three Desired Descriptions
Write three words you want an ideal customer to use when describing you to another person. Focus on reputation rather than visual style.
Pro tip Imagine overhearing a customer explain why they like and trust you.
Watch out Do not select words solely because they sound professionally impressive.
- 2
Remove Redundancy
Compare the words and replace any that communicate essentially the same quality. Keep a combination that creates a distinctive impression.
Pro tip Mix personality qualities with a competence or outcome quality.
Watch out Three near-synonyms will not provide three useful decision criteria.
- 3
Define Observable Evidence
Describe what each quality looks like in captions, stories, examples, and customer interactions. Make every trait demonstrable rather than merely claimed.
Pro tip Show unusual taste or expertise through choices and examples instead of announcing the label.
Watch out Trying too hard to perform a trait can make content feel artificial.
- 4
Filter Content Through the Words
Before publishing, ask whether the content communicates at least one of the selected qualities. Revise or discard content that consistently falls outside the intended reputation.
Pro tip Use the words as barometers, not rigid requirements that every post display all three.
Watch out Do not substitute generic professionalism for the qualities your ideal customers value.
- 5
Aim at the Right Few
Create for the customers likely to appreciate the specific combination of traits. Judge success by qualified relationships and clients rather than broad popularity.
Pro tip Set a concrete client goal appropriate to the business stage.
Watch out Trying to be liked by everyone will dilute the brand signal.
- 6
Check Audience Language
Observe how customers actually describe you in messages, referrals, testimonials, and conversations. Adjust content if those descriptions diverge from the intended words.
Pro tip Save exact phrases from testimonials for a periodic brand review.
Watch out Do not infer brand alignment from likes alone.
In the wild
A new freelancer chose fun, weird, and good at what she does as the qualities she wanted people to remember. Jasmine translated them into direct publishing standards: write fun things, share genuinely unusual observations, and demonstrate high-quality work. The freelancer did not need universal appeal or decorative Instagram highlights; she needed content that attracted a small number of premium clients who appreciated that combination.
→ The freelancer gained three practical criteria for deciding what to post and whom the content should attract.
A conversion designer chooses precise, calm, and commercial as her three words. She publishes annotated before-and-after examples to demonstrate precision, writes measured explanations rather than alarmist posts to convey calm, and connects every design decision to revenue or customer behavior to show commercial focus.
→ Prospective clients encounter a consistent reputation and can quickly decide whether the designer fits their needs.
Common mistakes
Selecting Overlapping Traits
Words with almost identical meanings do not create distinct editorial tests. Replace redundancy with a quality that adds a different dimension.
Claiming Instead of Demonstrating
Repeatedly calling yourself fun, expert, or unusual is weaker than publishing material that lets the audience reach that conclusion.
Optimizing for Everyone
Universal approval produces bland content and weak positioning. Use the barometer to attract the customers who value your specific qualities.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for freelancers and personal brands that feel uncertain about what to publish or how to express their identity.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for organizations that need a complete multi-stakeholder brand architecture rather than a simple content filter.
From the transcript
“Give me three things that you want people to say to describe you.”
“If you want somebody to think you're fun, you're going to write fun things.”
“That's the only thing I want you to focus on on Instagram.”
From the episode
How to Pivot + Diversify Your Business