Yesterday, I had the great fortune of experiencing up close the natural mystery and concerted power of a starling murmuration — for the very first time.

If you don’t know what a starling murmuration is (I didn’t either until yesterday) play the video below to see one in action. It’s quite incredible.

Watching this incredible feat of physics (and magic, I have to believe) got me thinking — of course — about branding and the way we orchestrate our online presences.

I want to create — and help The Voice Bureau‘s clients create — brands that are as consistent and powerful as a starling murmuration. Messaging forces of nature. Presentation prima/primo ballerinas/ballerinos.

And so I asked myself, What are the basic principles that allow us to do that?

Here are 5 principles I see in a starling murmuration that apply to branding our online businesses:

1. Brands, like starling murmurations, make an impression through consistent and coordinated flight patterns. The beauty of a starling murmuration, like the beauty of a brand, is in its harmonious and deliberate orchestration of elements.
2. It’s not necessary for your brand’s Right People to understand all of the nuances of your Why and How in order to buy in, to get on board, and to derive great value from what you do. Even scientists don’t fully understand the why’s and how’s behind the murmuration phenomena — it’s still one of the charming mysteries of the universe. And for a brand, a little mystery isn’t always a bad thing. Confessional posts revealing all the behind-the-scenes machinations of why you’re going where you’re going next? Not usually necessary, and definitely not right for every brand.
3. Like starling murmurations, great brands seem to come out of nowhere all the time. One day you’ve never heard of a certain business owner, and the next day it seems her name is on everyone’s lips. This is the Force of Nature Effect. People haven’t seen anything quite like it before, but as soon as they do, they’re utterly fascinated.
4. One starling alone does not a murmuration make, and neither do brands soar to visibility and influence without flightmates. The strength of starlings in flight is their ability to read each other and to depend on the subtle signals they send each other that say, Go this way. Now, go that way. As brand creators, we have the opportunity to partner with likeminded colleagues and collaborators who can fly with us, and to learn from mentors who can model for us.
5. Starlings can do what they do with such amazing power, grace, and synchronicity because their flightmates see, hear, and understand the suite of signals they send that make it possible. For online business owners, brand voice is the suite of signals that connects powerfully with our Right People — letting them know it’s time to go this way. Now, go that way.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

Which of the 5 principles above speaks to you the most at this point in your business journey, and why? Can’t wait to chat with you in the Comments.