Branding 101: Finding Authentic Purpose for your Brand

Get Results: the purpose of life is to live with purpose
Get Results: the purpose of life is to live with purpose

When we talk about finding your authentic purpose, the authentic purpose of your brand, it’s simply about finding your big WHY?

Having a purpose is about having a reason why you jump out of bed in the morning, beyond simple monetary reward. What drives you to do what you do?

If you didn’t have a purpose, why would you be going to all this trouble creating a brand? If your answer is simply because of money, than take a serious look at your situation. Money alone is unlikely to give you the dedication to follow-through long term. Sure you can always employ people to do some of it for you, but you should give this aspect of your business some consideration before going any further.

It’s always better from a motivational point of view, to have a purpose, a desire to create something bigger than yourself, in order to serve customers and make a difference, but in the end we are all different and what ever works for you is fine, of course.

There are 8 special elements to brand building…

Consider these from your perspective, not your customers.

  1. Ambition and desire . Your wants and needs, and how you feel about them
  2. Talent – assessment of skills and capabilities and where you need help
  3. Rational Intent- understanding where you’re intending to take business
  4. Values- principles and concepts. What you won’t compromise
  5. Context – the wider world and how it impacts your business
  6. Creation and imagination – building brand never put a limit on ambition and imagination
  7. Narrative – story. brands are modern versions of folk tales
  8. Resources- time, heads pace, resolve, team , support

Again ask yourself why you’re doing this?

This requires self examination and a good grasp of self awareness, be honest with yourself during this examination.

Brands are created by humans, they capture our humanity and reflect them back to us.

Brands help customers figure out who they are and why they matter to the world – Brands are giving their customers the tools to help tell their story. For example Mercedes help their customers feel good about themselves and say to the world “look how successful I am”.

Brands are about emotions and need to speak from the heart to engage customers. Rational argument is not going to motivate prospects to buy from you, without engaging their emotions and feelings to a large degree. It’s not how we humans work in the real world.

The secret to building a successful brand is marrying your brands purpose with your customers needs and wants.

Don’t be too controlling of your brand, allow it to grow and work independently. After all it starts off as your brand, but if it is to be successful, it must become your customers brand as well.

Brands are long term. You may need to be prepared to delay short term gratification as you build brand over the long term. Don’t ride them too fast and too hard, otherwise they might become lame.

Write a letter to yourself from the future (say 5 years), in the past tense and tell a story about what has happened in between now and then, as if it’s already happened. Document as much detail as possible and be as descriptive as possible. This way of thinking is often easier to imagine than simply looking forwards. It will help you think the process through more thoroughly, and give you insight into what leads to what etc.

You should also consider whether you are you the right person to create your brand? If not who in your business is?  It’s a great idea to have a brand champion within your organisation, if possible, to help keep your brand on track over the long term.

Branding 101