Brand Purpose
“Putting in long hours for a corporation is hard.
Putting in long hours for a cause is easy.”
– Elon Musk
Crafting a Brand Purpose.
Building a strong brand is crucial if you want your company to be competitive. Yet, with so much copycat marketing, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate your brand from the competition. There is one way, however, to not only separate your company from competitors, but also to elevate it: By creating a brand purpose. A brand purpose is essentially a reason for a brand to exist that is above the basic goal of making a profit. It should express what core values your brand stands for, and inform every decision, goal and behavior of your company. According to a report by The Harvard Business Review titled “The Business Case for Purpose,” a brand purpose can elevate your brand in several ways, including:
Increasing customer loyalty
Inspiring innovation and creativity
Providing employees with a sense of fulfillment
Attracting top talent for your team
Making an impact on society
When your brand stands for something, customers often feel that they are doing more than simply buying a product or service, but actually participating in a movement to help make a difference. While people and companies often share the same values and hopes for the world, ideally, your brand purpose should be unique to your company. Here are a few things to keep in mind when developing and implementing yours:
Start strong.
The first step in drafting a brand purpose is the identify what it is you feel strongly about. Above and beyond your plans for the company, what do you care about most? What would you (and your company at large) like to see happen or not happen in the world? Of course, the answer to that question should be something your brand has the ability to address. If the thing you feel strongly about is not something your company can do anything about, you should consider other initiatives until you find a match. Additionally, your purpose must be authentic and sustainable. If your brand’s purpose is based in ethical business practices, for example, it’s crucial that your company demonstrate integrity across the board.
Make your brand purpose your company culture.
Again, your brand purpose should be unique to your company, play to your company’s strengths, and align with its values. When these things occur, a purpose is as likely to resonate with your employees as it is with consumers. This is one big way a purpose can elevate your company, by creating a powerful and inspiring work environment. Run with it. Along with informing your work, your purpose should influence your work space, too.
Let your purpose propel you.
The day-to-day challenges of running a business can be taxing, but having a clearly defined and inspiring brand purpose can keep you moving forward. A brand purpose infuses everything you do with a deeper meaning (a purpose!) and can help make any tough times that come along worth all the hard work.
At Brand33, we’ve been helping clients define their brand for over 30 years. We can help you identify your purpose, as well as your goals, and help build brand equity with your current and potential clients. Learn more about how we do this for our clients by reviewing our case study for Artex.
John Diggins
Copywriter Brand 33