While price, convenience and quality are still high on the reasons a consumer is likely to choose your brand, so is having a clear social or environmental brand purpose.
To get the modern consumer’s attention, you need to show that your brand stands for something beyond the products and services you sell. Consumers want brands to take action to make the world a better place.
As a brand, it’s crucial to not only live by your brand purpose, but to properly communicate it.
Keep reading to find out how.
Understanding brand purpose
Brand purpose goes beyond making profits. It delves into the deeper meaning and contribution your brand seeks to make.
While mission and vision statements define what your brand does and where it aims to be, purpose defines why your brand does what it does and the positive impact it strives to make in the world.
For Nike, that’s empowering and inspiring athletes of all levels. Meanwhile, Patagonia is all about environmental sustainability and minimising its environmental impact. Then there’s Coca-Cola, whose brand aims to provide refreshing and uplifting experiences.
By focusing on values, impact and the well-being of individuals and society, your brand purpose serves as a guiding principle helping shape your brand’s actions, initiatives and communication strategies.
It inspires both internal stakeholders and external audiences, creating a sense of purpose and meaning behind the brand’s existence.
Why sharing your brand purpose is worth it
Walk down the aisle of any grocery store, and you’ll easily spot multiple products with labels like “eco-friendly,” “biodegradable,” “vegan-friendly,” or “fair trade.” There’s a reason why more brands are not only practising more sustainable methods, but shouting out loud about it.
Consumers want to know.
64% of global consumers find brands that actively communicate their purpose more attractive.
Communicating your brand purpose sets your brand apart from competitors by emphasising your unique values and the positive impact you aim to create. It also helps to attract like-minded customers who share the same beliefs and values.
But sharing your brand purpose isn’t just about getting consumers to notice your brand. The benefits run far deeper than that.
When your brand’s purpose aligns with your audience’s values and beliefs, it fosters a sense of authenticity and builds trust. Plus, clearly communicating your brand purpose allows you to create a deeper connection with your target audience.
That deeper connection promotes customer loyalty and advocacy. Purpose-driven brands tend to attract loyal customers who identify with the brand’s mission and values. These customers become brand advocates, spreading positive word-of-mouth and driving organic growth.
Brand purpose also plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining talented employees who align with your brand’s values. Similarly, purpose-driven partnerships can enhance your brand’s reach and impact by joining forces with organisations that share similar goals.
Get clear on your brand purpose
Before communicating your brand purpose, it’s important to get clear on what it actually is. This is an integral first step in ensuring you share a consistent message across all aspects of your business.
Here are some steps to help you get clear on your brand purpose:
- Reflect on your brand’s values, mission, and vision: Identify the underlying motivations that drive your brand’s actions and impact.
- Align brand purpose with customer needs and aspirations: Conduct market research, engage with your customers, and seek feedback to understand their desires and concerns.
- Define your brand’s contribution: Determine the specific ways in which your brand can contribute to the lives of your customers and the world around you. What problems can you solve? How can you bring about positive change? Be clear about the specific impact you want to have.
- Craft a compelling purpose statement: Develop a clear and concise purpose statement that captures the essence of your brand’s purpose. Make it inspiring, authentic, and meaningful. This statement will serve as a guiding light for your brand and a rallying cry for your audience.
- Involve internal stakeholders: Ensure your brand purpose is understood and embraced by your team members and key stakeholders. Create alignment and buy-in by effectively communicating the purpose and demonstrating how it guides decision-making and shapes the brand’s culture.
- Live your purpose: Once you have defined your brand purpose, it’s crucial to integrate it into all aspects of your brand. Align your messaging, visuals, products, services, and customer experiences with your purpose. Consistently live and demonstrate your purpose through your brand’s actions and initiatives.
Remember that defining and living your brand purpose is an ongoing process. Regularly assess and evaluate your purpose to ensure it remains relevant and resonates with your audience.
How to communicate your brand’s purpose
Once you’ve established a solid foundation for your brand purpose, you can start communicating it with your audience.
Start by infusing your purpose into your brand’s messaging across all internal and external touchpoints. Narrate real-life examples, customer success stories, or initiatives that illustrate how your brand is making a difference in the lives of individuals or society.
Incorporate visual elements, such as images, videos, and graphics, to communicate your brand’s purpose. Use compelling visuals that evoke emotion and connect powerfully with your audience. Then share this content across various channels, engaging your audience through social media, website content, videos, blogs, and community events.
Social media platforms, in particular, offer a powerful channel to communicate your brand’s purpose. Share purpose-driven content, engage in conversations, and showcase initiatives or partnerships that align with your purpose. Encourage your audience to participate and share their stories about your brand’s purpose.
Get your employees involved as much as possible. Your employees are essential advocates for your brand’s purpose. Involve them in purpose-driven initiatives and empower them to share their experiences and beliefs while participating in community outreach programs.
Highlight your brand’s purposeful initiatives and partnerships to demonstrate your commitment to creating positive change. Share updates, milestones, and success stories related to your purpose-driven initiatives. This helps build credibility and reinforces your purpose to your audience.
Make sure to regularly measure and evaluate the impact of your purpose-driven initiatives.Transparency and accountability are essential in building trust.
And lastly, stay authentic. Consumers can spot inauthentic brand initiatives a mile away. The last thing you want is to be caught on the wrong side of cancel culture — where consumers withdraw support for a brand based on their views or actions.
What’s your why?
Defining and communicating your brand’s purpose is a transformative journey that can differentiate your brand from the competition, forge deeper connections with your audience, and drive long-term success.
The most successful brand purpose communication strategies start with a clearly defined brand purpose. Once a strong foundation is set, it’s easier to allow that purpose to organically filter through to all aspects of the business.
So, before going further, what’s your why? Get in touch, and let’s figure it out together.