Why do you do what you do? Businesses don’t just exist to generate a profit. Purpose is critical to success, and it all starts with great branding.
What makes you leap out of bed in the morning with a head full of ideas? What gives you a sense of achievement that makes you satisfied you made the right decision in going into business? How do you improve the lives of people in your community? Why do you do what you do?
Businesses don’t just exist to generate a profit. You know that. We know that. Prospective clients and customers know that. They’re not interested in parting with their hard-earned money just for fun. Instead, clients need to understand exactly what it is that you do (and why) so they know how you can help them solve problems. Customers need to know what it is that you sell (and why) so they know how you can improve their problems. Purpose is critical to success.
The “and why” bit is a very important question. When you’re putting your marketing strategy together, you’ll need to think about your story. Ask yourself the four questions we listed right at the top and note your answers. There are a few reasons we emphasize this so much:
Your back story sets you apart from your competitors.
Your motivation shows that you’re authentic and trustworthy.
Your “why” can drive sales to new heights.
Ready to find out how your purpose can grow your business? Talk to us.
Link between purpose and profit
America has a huge and wildly competitive small business landscape. According to the Small Business Administration, there are 30.7 million small business in the United States, which account for 99.9% of our country’s commercial landscape. These figures count small businesses as any company with 500 employees or less. What makes you different from everyone else?
The answer is simple: stories sell. People are innately emotional beings, which means they feel things in response to stories. This could be hope, excitement, empathy, respect, or many others. Marketing 101 is to use those stories to your advantage. That doesn’t have to mean selling yourself out and rehashing the same old story over and over again. Not at all! Instead, telling your story and talking about your purpose simply gives people an opportunity to get to know you. There’s nothing insincere or salesy about this; you’re simply sharing your values with others.
If prospective clients or customers feel an emotional connection with you, and they understand your “why,” they’re more likely to remember you. If they remember you, they’re more likely to research your products or services when they are in need. If they research your products or services, they’re more likely to convert. That’s why purpose and profit are so intrinsically linked.
Need a little help with your branding? Here’s how we can help.
Using purpose to unlock your brand
Some businesses find that their purpose is immediately clear. In that case, you can go ahead and start working on your branding statements (we’ll get to those in a minute).
Here are some great real-life examples from our clients:
Equipment Source, Inc. (ESI): ESI equipment is Built Arctic Tough. It’s an equipment manufacturer based in Fairbanks, Alaska, that got its start reconditioning heaters on North Slope drilling sites in 2000. Fast-forward 20 years, and it’s committed to designing and building equipment that fires up in any temperature to ensure crews working in extreme environments can get the job done, maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime. It works closely with its customers to ensure it’s creating exactly the right product to solve everyday problems they’re facing at work.
AK Beautiful You: AK Beautiful You is a medical spa based in Anchorage, Alaska. Formerly known as Plastic Surgeons of Alaska, the team is made up of dedicated professionals who are committed to helping each client achieve the best results possible. The company’s purpose is simple: it’s here to help each person who walks through the door to look as good as they feel. The goal is to empower each person with the confidence they need to live their best lives. The team believes that professional skin care isn’t noticeable, but beautiful.
Tri-Cities Functional Medicine: Dr. Joseph Radawi is a functional medicine doctor based in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee. He’s a board-certified family medicine doctor who spent a decade working in hospital emergency rooms before realizing that, while modern medicine is great at treating acute illnesses and injuries, it doesn’t have the answers to chronic health issues. That’s how he found functional medicine. He and his wife, Tambri, set up their practice to help people take control of their health, find the answers they need to treat long-term conditions that have been troubling them, and to live with vitality again.
Do you see what we mean by purpose? These businesses are all very different, but very clear about what they do and how they help people. This is crucial to standing out from competitors. ESI has a great legacy of innovation. AK Beautiful You has a personalized approach that makes each client feel good. Tri-Cities helps people find answers to things that have been troubling them. This unlocks the brand statement that forms the foundation for the rest of their marketing efforts.
Ready to take the next step? Start developing your digital marketing strategy.
Creating a purpose-led brand statement
Brand statements have three parts: vision, mission, and values. We believe that values-based marketing is the next big thing, so we recommend you take the time to get this right.
Vision: Where is your company going?
Mission: How will you achieve this goal?
Values: How will you behave along the way?
These are simple and difficult at the same time. A vision only needs to be a few words. A mission usually only contains two or three sentences. Values can be listed in bullet points. However, the meaning is important. We recommend keeping them as simple as possible to ensure the meaning is clear both internally, to your team members, and externally, to your clients or customers.
The best way to start is usually a brainstorm with your leadership team. The best question? You guessed it… WHY? Why do you do what you do? Why do provide this particular service or sell this particular product? Why do you serve the demographics you serve? Why do you do business the way you do? Why should people choose to work with you instead of your competitors?
Once the brand statement is in place, you’re ready to take the next steps. That could be a comprehensive new website, a revitalized social media strategy, a sparkling digital advertising campaign, or a captivating video launch. The sky is the limit, but your brand statement will provide the common message you need to flow through it all and tie everything together.
This is the best way to maximize your ROI, because instead of taking a scatter-gun approach and hoping for the best, each post you publish or call you make will work towards your goals.
Lacking the time to put this together? Our friendly team can help.
Key points to take away
Purpose is what makes us excited to be alive. It gives us joy when things are going well, and it gives us motivation when things are tough. Best of all, purpose creates passion, and passion is contagious. If you’re ready to share your passion with your clients or customers, you’re ready to start working on a marketing strategy. If you’re thinking about taking the next step in your business, we can help.
Our passionate (there’s that word again!) team of marketing professionals has been helping small businesses grow since 2012 and we’re excited to help you achieve your purpose.
Ready to get started? Take the first step now.
