The most successful small businesses I’ve encountered or consulted for have one very important thing in common. What it comes down to is the intentionality of the business owner. Business owners who are intentional about how they run their business, or how they provide customer service and about how they want to accomplish their goals, seem to go far.
Their brands, usually reflect the exact personality of themselves. The brand personality isn’t some curated facade put together by a marketing firm. It’s authentic to the business owner and usually admired by, or relatable to the customers who consume it. The same thing goes for a brand’s core values. Sure, you could hire an expert to pick the perfect phrases filled with top-notch, attention grabbing adjectives and verbs but I don’t recommend you do that.
If you outsource these things (brand personality and core values, etc.) they will not truly reflect who you are as a business owner and why you’re in the game. Say you “want” customers to perceive you as a super fun, high energy brand, so you hire someone to make you appear that way. You’ll no doubt attract people who value, “super-fun, high energy” and based off your marketing they’ll show up with the expectation you’ll meet their preconceived notions. An any experience that pokes holes in your faux image, will make them feel disappointed or confused.
You see, customers are searching for and value, transparency and authenticity. If you’re external doesn’t reflect the internal well, it’s a turn off. Think of it this way. You come across a beautifully sculpted, good-looking person and are immediately impressed. Then this person speaks and turns out to be a total jerk. Bummer! So do the work. If you want your business to embody something, you have to intrinsically embody it first.
Right now, you might be saying, “yeah that makes sense” or nodding in agreement but being in agreement isn’t what I’m talking about. I heard it put like this, “You believe what I believe but do you want what I want?” I want “victory for brands.” Is that what you want?