The numbers are in; businesses that operate with a clear purpose are likely to see their business grow, expand and profit more than those who don’t. How a company differentiates itself from competitors, its business values, and it’s giving back to society are essential factors in today’s consumer culture. That’s why, as a business owner, your purpose must be clear. The value you bring to consumers and the community must be evident through your marketing campaigns, all the way down to how you treat your employees.
The task is easier when you have a purpose that’s guiding you.
What is a Purpose-Driven Business?
A purpose-driven business is one that has a clear set of reasons that guide their business operations. Take Tesla as an example. This brand is founded to provide more sustainability to the planet through innovative electric cars. Each new launch, at its core, exemplifies this value. That’s why Tesla is a top contender in the electric car industry. It doesn’t just release vehicles with innovative features and intricate designs. Its company aims to solve an alarming human and environmental issue; Tesla helps reduce carbon pollution, making the planet more sustainable with electric cars. Tesla’s values stand for something larger than itself.
Many years ago, company values weren’t an essential factor in consumer culture. However, as brands are becoming more transparent, a higher percentage of consumers are more willing to buy from a brand that has a meaningful purpose. It’s the same reason Nike is still relevant in activewear and is still popular among adults and children alike.
These businesses have been around for a long time. Yet, they have remained relevant because they keep up and fight against current social issues. They show their consumers that they are in it for more than the money. Being socially conscious is another factor that helps differentiate them from just another clothing or shoe company.
The reality is many industries are flooded with brands that offer the same product. How you distinguish yourself as a brand and what makes your product or service more valuable to consumers and society is essential. However, your business purpose doesn’t have to purely focus on social issues. Your goal could be to provide the best customer service or create products that make your customers feel good about themselves. Whatever it is, having a clear set of reasons to guide your business will allow you to make decisions that are relevant and impactful for your brand. As such, how you market this purpose is essential, but more on that later.
How do You Create a Business with a Purpose?
Whether you’re just starting out or your business has already been running for a few years, it’s never too late to integrate your purpose. Each part of purpose planning takes a thorough effort and time to create a solid foundation for your purpose-driven business. Here is a general guideline to help you make purpose and meaning through your company.
- Planning you’re “W’s.”
The foundation starts with brainstorming what your business purpose is going to be. Many times, people make decisions for purely selfish gains and forget their business relies on consumers. As such, when you create your product or service, consumers must be the focus.
Why did you create your business?
What value is your product/service going to provide consumers?
How is your business making a difference to the world?
Why should consumers choose your business over another business that offers the same product?
Who will be the heroes that will help you do it?
And you must make sure your employees ( your heroes) are aligned and understand your purposes.
These questions provide the framework of all your business operations.
Once you’ve planned out and narrowed down your business purpose, the next step is to communicate this to your consumers.
Through traditional and digital marketing, you can use your creativity to get the audience you need.
- Marketing with Purpose
Communicating your purpose in impactful ways will make a lasting impression on your consumers. As such, marketing will require thoughtful planning. Whether through email marketing, social media or video marketing, the digital landscape allows you to have more channels to reach a wider audience. Here are some tips to consider when crafting your marketing campaign.
a) Tell a story
The best marketing ads are the ones that can tell a story. People are emotionally drawn to information, especially ones that resonate with them on a personal level. For example, Mercedes-Benz had an advertisement that followed a boy who solved his problem using a Mercedes car. Here, Mercedes shows that it’s more than just a luxury car brand. It uses a story to intrigue and draws in potential customers through a captivating story.
b) Appeals to Emotions
You want people to believe in your business and feel like they need your product/service in their lives. Your digital marketing initiatives must resonate with people and be able to do this through images and words.
If you’ve ever across a Nike ad with close-up shots of athletes with the slogan “Just Do It,” you’ll understand. Colin Kaepernick, the controversial football player who stood up for racial injustices in America, had an ad with Nike that led to massive sales. Nike was able to combine its purpose as an activewear brand and its values all in one image. That’s the power of social media advertisements.
c) Collaborate with similar brands
This is how you can expand your audience even more. Collaborating with other businesses or social media influencers whose values align with yours allows you to effectively gain consumers through this route. However, it’s essential to make sure that those who endorse your products are relevant to your purpose. You never want to confuse your consumers and make it seem as though these collaborations are random, with a lack of thought.
- Sustaining your Purpose
It’s important to realize that your business purpose is the foundation of everything your business stands for. As such, you must never lose sight of it while running your business. Your drive may change and when it does, make sure to continue to do what’s best for your consumers and society. If you’re going to stand for social issues, make sure you continually serve that purpose. For example, besides the advertisements, Nike donates to charities that fight for racial justice and brings awareness to racial issues through their marketing.
Furthermore, you must ensure you never go against your purpose. Hypocrisy can lead to a variety of troubles. Most importantly, your consumers may no longer trust your brand anymore if you act against the goal you’ve set out on. Therefore, skipping over the planning process will lead to careless mistakes.
In general, businesses need to understand their role in making the world a better place. They must consider the beliefs of their consumers to develop a more profound and lasting relationship. From here, they must effectively communicate and market their purpose to gain an audience. As such, if you can begin and end with a goal, you’re not only going to sustain your business, but you’re going to make an impact on the world.
“What’s your purpose.”
https://www.linkedin.com/in/waleed-al-toukhi-5988327
Al Toukhi, a Saudi Arabian Strategy Consultant with over 19 years of experience in Branding, Marketing, Digital Strategy, execution & He, developed branding and digital strategies Projects in public and local Companies leading the development of the company’s corporate digital strategy and transformation in KSA, Dubai and Jordan.
Waleed Al Toukhi is a strategy expert in digital Branding & Marketing for business. Strategy builder and executer, a Marketer who thrives in transforming business through unconventional creativity and Adaptive technology with over 19 years’ experience in Marketing Communication and Digital Marketing.