Effective Marketing: The Importance of Your Brand’s “Why”
We’ve all experienced it. There’s a brand or product you stumble upon on social media, and as you look through their Instagram page or search through their website, all you can think to yourself is, “Why? Why would I buy this? Why is this company special?” This scenario happens all too often for one simple reason: many businesses are too focused on the bottom line and don’t take the time to develop and market their “Why.”
What is the “Why,” and Is It Necessary?
The “Why” of a company is its purpose. The Why is what drives a business forward. It’s the reason a company was created and what sets it apart from competitors. The Why needs to have value and be truly valued by the company in order to be impactful.
A company’s Why is an absolute must for survival. The longevity of a business stems from it. The article “How to Develop Your Company’s Purpose” says “The purpose for the business gets to the heart of why the company does what it does, helping to guide business decisions by creating a framework... Laying out the organization’s purpose helps to guide the company into the future.” Without a clear purpose, a company has no direction and risks aimlessly wandering the business world, eventually being pushed to the side by brands with a more distinct vision.
As motivational speaker Simon Sinek said in his Ted Talk, "People don't buy what you do or how you do it, they buy why you do it." You can find a hole in the market that solves an issue quite easily with a product, but conveying the importance of filling that need to consumers in a way that will sustain the business for a long time is not easy. It always comes down to the questions of “Why do people need it?” and “Why should they choose your product over others?”
A perfect example of a company that has a clear understanding of their Why and a product that aligns with it is Apple. Apple is known worldwide for its innovation in product design, but they didn’t get there by accident. Apple has a clear purpose, which was established at the company’s inception by Steve Jobs, to enrich people’s daily lives. Apple provides more than a piece of technology, it provides a clear purpose, a solution.
For example, take this iPhone 12 + Apple Watch commercial. It clearly depicts that the Apple Watch isn’t just a watch used to tell time, it solves a huge problem for the consumer in the ad. The implication is that without Apple products, the man would be living a hindered life filled with frustrating drawbacks. The ad perfectly showcases a product solving the issue that their Why targets and shows consumers why they should use Apple.
Marketing the Why
In order to get a consumer to desire a product or service, the company needs to make them understand their Why. Marketing a product and business becomes infinitely easier and more effective when a brand can clearly define the purpose for their existence and communicate it to their target audience. A business that can aptly tell its story turns consumers from thinking “Why would I buy this” to “I want to be a part of this.”
The challenge of this, however, is that the success of marketing the Why is often unmeasurable while marketing the success of a specific product is easily measurable. This is why businesses too often focus on sales and numbers rather than their Why. However, focusing on the brand and its story is how brands create a successful long-term business and marketing strategy and will make selling products much easier and more organic.
When there is a clear and strong purpose, brand marketing for a company is the easiest way to tell the story of your Why. Too often, businesses assume direct marketing of a product will effectively explain their Why, but that’s not actually the case. Stories must be intentionally told. They can be centered around a product, but ultimately must also showcase the Why of the business (just like the Apple Watch ad did).
Marketing the Why will be easy if the business has created a strong purpose. If you can’t seem to market your Why, this is a good indicator that it’s manufactured or inauthentic. Don’t be a business that has to stretch to tell a story it doesn’t really believe.
Finding Your Why
Having a clearly defined Why for a brand is essential, but creating one that is genuine can be difficult. Whether you’re a business that is just starting out or a defined business looking to redefine your brand strategy, here are some things to consider when trying to find your company’s Why.
Your Origin Story. When thinking about your Why, the first step is to consider the beginnings of your company. What inspired you to get started, and what drove the creation of your brand? Oftentimes, the passion that started it all is where the brand’s purpose lies.
Think of Your Core Values. What are your brand’s core values? What does your company stand for, and why? This is a very important step, as you want your Why to tie in with your values, mission and vision. A company that does not have cohesive goals risks having a misaligned brand.
What’s Your Impact? What are the company’s long-term goals (besides making sales)? Do you want to improve the world or help the earth? Is your goal to help a specific people, group, or society in some way? Does your company seek to disrupt the status quo? Whatever the impact you’re hoping your brand will have is a great way to understand your Why.
What Sets You Apart? What makes your company and product different from the competition? What do you have to offer your customers that others simply cannot compete with?
Start Writing. Once you consider these questions, start writing out some Why statement ideas. A good format to start with is “my company’s Why is to _____ so that_____.” Don’t be afraid to take your time with this and draft out as many statements as you need to in order to create the right Why for your company. Some examples of business why statements can be found in this article.
Next Steps
For more information on understanding the Why of a business and why it’s crucial for a business’s marketing strategy, check out our IGTV video below.
Does your company or brand need help effectively marketing your Why to your target audience? Social Supply Co. is built on creative communication, and we provide strategic guidance in the creation, development and optimization of your social presence. Get in touch here!
