What do you stand for in your business?
Tough or easy question to answer?
When you are clear about the purpose of your business, marketing is so much easier and can actually be exciting.
In Roy Spence’s new book It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For he defines purpose this way, “Purpose is a definitive statement about the difference you are trying to make in the world.”
So why is purpose so important to your business? He offers many reasons and the one I want to focus on here is the impact it can have on your marketing.
“Purpose injects your brand with a healthy dose of reality. It is not something you can fake. It’s genuine. It’s real. And it’s something that your customers honestly appreciate about you.”
First, let’s take a look at some examples of purpose from Roy’s clients and my business purpose:
BMW – To enable people to experience the joy of driving.
HALLMARK – To inspire meaningful connections, which enhance relationships and enrich lives.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES – Defying cruise convention to deliver a liberating experience for all.
FIREFLY COACHING – To support small business owners and entrepreneurs in making a living doing what they love by creating a meaningful and prosperous business.
And while many of Roy’s clients are large companies, purpose is just as essential and relevant for small business owners and solopreneurs as it is for the big corporations. What’s more, it’s much easier to integrate in smaller organizations because there are fewer people to involve.
So if you already know the purpose of your business, make sure it’s essence is expressed throughout your marketing. If you’re not sure about your business purpose, now is the perfect time to unearth it.
One of the ways Roy recommends to discover the purpose of your business is to ask these questions: “Why do you do what you do? Why is that important to the people you serve? Why does the existence of your organization matter?”
He points out that your purpose is not a tagline and that it is not about the ‘how’ of doing what your business does.
Once you’ve determined your business purpose you can let it guide you in every aspect of your business.
So what does your business purpose have to do with marketing? Think about it, if you are crystal clear about your purpose and it comes from your heart then implementing your marketing will feel authentic and exciting instead of pushy and painful.
Imagine how you would feel if you were deeply connected to the purpose of your business as you implemented your marketing. If you’re like me, it feels empowering and inspiring.
Are you beginning to see how this will shift the way you approach marketing? You could actually enjoy it. Even better, this shift can have a positive impact on the effectiveness of your marketing.
Simply stated, knowing the purpose of your business will support you in attracting more clients and growing your business.
© Stephanie Ward
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER, BLOG OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to create meaningful and prosperous businesses. Grab your FREE copy of the special report ‘7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: https://www.fireflycoaching.com.
What does your business stand for? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.
