How Your Branding and Messaging Showcase Your Why
Knowing the “why” behind your business is more than a slogan or information in your head. Your answers regarding what you sell and how it serves a purpose hold more value than customer reviews and sales goals.
Clarity in your business is the driving force behind your branding and messaging.
I’ll dig deeper into this by sharing my own story of figuring out my “why.”
Why branding matters and discovering my “why”
The “why” behind my own business was firmly planted as a direct result of my first post-college job. It became one of the most toxic work environments I’d ever been exposed to, and I couldn’t get over the fact that I felt like clients were being worked over.
The agency's work was subpar at best but charged premium prices. This work environment became one I wanted to be free from—and fast. I worked there for less than a year, then transitioned to work as the manager of my aunt’s hair salon (quite a shift, right?).
There, I came to appreciate small business owners' hard work, generosity, and sacrifice. The agency didn’t care about their clients like my aunt did about hers. At the end of the day, it was about money, and that’s a poor “why.”
"You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off of you."
– Maya Angelou
We spend the majority of our lives working, and I want to spend mine doing what I love—telling stories through written words and design. I took myself through the same brand strategy process I now take clients through, asking branding messaging questions like:
What’s the biggest reason you started your business?
What’s the story behind your business?
What makes your products/services unique?
Who do you serve?
What are your values?
The core goal of brand strategy is to communicate a clear, consistent message across all platforms—from visuals to voice—that ultimately speaks to your ideal clients above anyone else.
I started my business with a mission to serve before I sold, putting people before profit at all costs.
Branding messaging strategies that fit your business as it grows
I realized I could provide the best client experience by simplifying my services. Clients didn’t want every service I could offer. They wanted solutions. So, I started offering the two services I felt most confident in and that business owners needed the most help with: brand identity design and Squarespace website design.
My business exists today to elevate small businesses' aesthetic, empowering entrepreneurs to feel more confident in their brands. I still value people over profit, but I also value my services in a way I didn’t before. With this clarity, I found more balance with my time and a renewed sense of motivation in my work.
In every brand communication I share, from social media to email marketing, I think of my “why”: How can I serve my audience today? In what ways can I inspire them to feel more confident as entrepreneurs? What can I share that will showcase how I elevate the aesthetic of small businesses?
Before sharing your next Instagram post, consider how it connects to your “why.” What can you say that will benefit your audience and make a difference?
How do I figure out my “why” and use it in my business?
To help entrepreneurs uncover their “why,” I ask, “What’s your business’s purpose for existing?” Then, I dig deeper into the heart of their brand by asking questions like: “What do you want to be known for?” “Who is also passionate about or interested in this?”
Reflect on the impact you’ve made in clients' lives thus far, then pinpoint why they chose your products/services and the result of investing in them. When you’re clear on your “why,” all your branding and messaging centers around it. You can communicate your benefits, values, and purpose all by knowing why you exist.
Get specific and even a bit exclusive. Think of who you want to communicate your message to, and then tailor your brand communications to that target audience. Remember: If you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.
Focusing on your unique purpose fulfills you in seasons of progress and success and grounds you when difficulty and disappointments arrive. Your “why” propels you forward, igniting your passion for getting up and doing what you do every day.
Ready to get started? Join my newsletter for more inspirational, educational content every week that will get you going in figuring out your own “why”! Need more guidance? Reach out to Selah Creative Co!
