This is big, business people!
Chances are you picked your profession as a business owner to please a value that you hold dear. My eyes got watery when I heard, Mikel Sagoian of Valor Legal Group talk about how by practicing Family Law she was able to hold individuals accountable to a larger society. It’s nothing she can put on a business card, but her values attract her loyal clients. Representing her clients is in services to her value of dedication. During a recent rebranding (yet to be revealed), we selected design elements that are bold, fierce, and firm.
My background is working with brands and business owners over the last three years. When crafting a brand, I am searching for an angle that makes someone want to give up their money so that they buy, preferably now. Some people more refined might call it a “Unique Selling Proposition (USP), ” and the exercise gets tricky when you are marketing a person and a service. What makes working with one real estate professional better when there are thousands in your area offering the same rate?
Values.
Not the contrived, “honesty, dedication, community…” values. The deep in the soul “I believe everyone should have the best representation, and I offer that,” kind of stuff.
Being able to craft a visual brand around values, is a game changer.
Stuck on what yours are? A natural way to discover what you as the business owner hold most dear might be to ponder who in your industry do you detest? Can’t stand Company XYZ’s business practices? Why?
“When you have a conflict or get worked up, it is because there is something present that is in opposition to your values.” Nicole Donnelly, CEO of Happy Camper.
Next, speak from your values.
A talented copywriter can help you refine what your message is, but make sure to speak about your values. One of my core values is the effectiveness of simplicity. I can’t stand it when someone sets out to make a simple task inaccessible, especially when they do so to earn an extra buck. When I talk to business owners about websites, it’s all about how I build their vision and hand it over in a form that they can maintain themselves, or provide options of how I can support a site until they are ready. It’s simple.
What is the result of branding based on your core values?
You attract the clients who hold those values dear as well. I won’t get mushy-gushy, but, a big part of why I love being the owner of Highly Anticipated so much, is that I work with business owners that have similar core values.
Values are greater than a sales angle. Communicating your values is the start of falling in love with your business, and becoming irresistible to great clients.
Go get em’!