By: Valerie Duvall
Why does your brand exist? Why did you start your business? What inspired you to do what you do? Why did you begin blogging? Why do you wake up every day and go to work? What is the value you bring and how do you make people feel? And why should anyone care? There has to be a purpose why you began your brand.
Whatever your brand may be, the most important question is always – why do you exist, or in other words, what is your mission? When people hear the phrase “Mission Statement” their eyes normally glaze over. Do you know why? Because the majority of mission statements are so scripted and long that people don’t care. They really don’t say anything. There is no passion in the statement – the why?
Once you have your why figured out, you can then develop strategies to communicate and express your brand, your passion, and in doing so, you will inspire people and they will act on that inspiration and stand behind your brand. Simon Sinek says it best, “People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.” They feel the brand passion, your passion for what you do.
When sitting down with a client to consult with them on creating a marketing plan or campaign, I first ask, “why do you exist?” You’d be surprised how many people respond with silence. It’s a gut feeling that most people can’t describe. That gut feeling is what Greer Force Marketing can extract and put into words. Your mission is essentially your elevator pitch. It is your story to share. You have thirty seconds to tell someone why he or she should care.
If you haven’t heard of The Golden Circle, now is the time to start researching.
Simon Sinek – The Golden Circle
Simon Sinek will give you all of the details, but The Golden Circle consists of 3 layers. As a quick executive summary for you:
What you do – What products do you sell or services do you provide?- How you do it – This is what sets you apart from your competitors.
- Why you do it – Your passion, cause or belief.
As Simon says, it’s important to remember that your ‘why’ is not what you want to achieve – more money, higher profit margin, etc.
Successful brands work from the inside to the outside of The Golden Circle. Most brands work from the outside to the inside of The Golden Circle.
Using The Golden Circle from the inside to the outside, I’ll give you examples of brands that genuinely know their why. By knowing their true why, they are able to share it with the world in a way that makes them leaders in their industry and builds loyalty. Notice in the examples that these brands lead with their Why and do not lead with their products or What i.e. We sell food for your holiday get-togethers, We sell coffee that is perfect for your mornings, we sell computers that are pretty.
Publix
https://youtu.be/nWv2IpgTjhA
Folgers
https://youtu.be/zZnqBL6iYjA
Apple
https://youtu.be/IprmiOa2zH8
https://youtu.be/wkw8UBYn0pc
Apple is amazing at using and applying the rules of The Golden Circle:
Once you are able to articulate your why, you’ll have that magic formula that you can then apply lavishly to every aspect of your business. You’ll be able to make better decisions and choices to grow your business, inspire your team and gain followers who are loyal to your brand.
It all starts with the why.
