Brand Purpose: the magic ingredient to a successful brand
Brand Purpose: the magic ingredient to a successful brand
Ever heard of the saying “Slowing down is sometimes the best way to speed up”?
When I was working in corporate, we would spend days working and reworking our brand fundamentals. Crafting the perfect articulation, debating over one word for hours.
And whilst this is overkill for smaller brands that are just starting out, taking the time to build your brand fundamentals remains the key to success in the future.
Why?
Because without the right fundamentals in place, you’re going to fight to be seen and really break through the immense clutter of brands and marketing that is out there.
In this month’s newsletter, I break down the 4 reasons why having a clear and compelling brand purpose is the key first step on your journey to success. And bonus, I lay out a framework to get the perfect 1-line for your brand!
Let’s dive in…
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Purpose differentiates you from your competitors
Big players reach the masses by pleasing the majority and investing heavily to achieve broad reach.As a smaller brand there is simply no way you can compete with that!
So, instead of trying to compete directly with these bigger players by pleasing everyone, be bold in communicating your brand purpose and beliefs!
There will always be a unique reason, beyond financial gain, that has pushed you to create your brand in the way that you have. And there are many other people out there who this will resonate with. All you need to do is communicate this in a clear and compelling way so that those people find you!
And the bolder you are in the way you communicate, the more you will stand out versus your competitors and attract your ideal client niche.
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Purpose builds an emotional connection with your ideal clients
Do not be afraid to be vulnerable in your storytelling. The more honest you are about your brand and its purpose, the more you will create an emotional connection with the clients who share your beliefs.
And then take it a step further. Enable your clients to make a difference in the world by contributing to your brand’s purpose (tips on how to do this available in my previous article here). By making your clients the heroes of your brand story, they will become both loyal and your most fervent brand ambassadors, doing your marketing for you!
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Purpose anchors you when the going gets tough
In today’s volatile world, your purpose can act as your anchor, a safeguard in times of crisis.
When you do not know if, or how, to respond to a world event or a challenge that your brand is facing, focus on your purpose to know when your brand must react.
Act when challenges pertain to your brand’s purpose. And do so with the upmost integrity and honesty.
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Purpose propels you to lead the way to new possibilities
You do not have to have the biggest market share to be a leader! It is often the smaller, “challenger” brands that are leading the way, bringing new solutions to help evolve society and create a brighter future.
Ask yourself: what frustrates you the most about your industry? And what change does your brand exist to make?
By bringing new solutions that challenge the status quo and leading the way for others to follow, your purpose can drive the entire industry forward.
How to articulate your brand purpose?
By now, you should be convinced that having a clear and compelling brand purpose is the first and crucial step to build a brand that makes a positive difference in the world, stands out versus its competitors and builds meaningful connections with its clients.
But how do you articulate one?
I suggest a simple framework to help you get there:
“In a world where … , [insert your biggest frustration with your industry]
we exist to … [insert what your brand uniquely brings to the world]
so that … [insert the difference that your brand will make to the state of the world]”
Granted, this will give you quite a long and chunky sentence, but once you have it, you can sharpen it. Make it snappy and sexy, and then you could even use it as your brand tagline!
Recap
Taking the time to build your brand fundamentals is crucial to setting you up for success, and your brand purpose is the first crucial step to get you there.
A clear and compelling brand purpose.
- Differentiates you from your competitors
- Creates an emotional connection with your ideal clients
- Anchors you when times get tough
- Propels you to become an industry leader
To articulate your brand purpose, you can use the framework laid out above. And if you are struggling, simply DM me “brand purpose” and I will send you a free purpose guide that shares some thought-provoking questions and many examples to inspire you as you craft your own.
