If I asked you to define yourself what would you say? Would you start by describing how tall you are, the type of hair you have, how fast you can run? Or would you tell me more about who you are as a person? Your likes, your dislikes, the principles you have and habits?
Note how I said « define » and not »describe ».
When I ask clients about their brand they tend to tell me about the product they sell and how good it is. Which, by all means, is fine but, I usually follow up with something like: « But what is your brand? What is the message you want to convey? » Cue the silence and, let’s be frank, a little bit of confusion.
Why confusion? People usually have a feeling that their brand should stand for more than the product they sell but they often overlook how important it is to actually clearly define it.
This is something I understand very well. You are developing a product, you’re trying to sell things and working on something as conceptual as a brand message might seem a little like deciding to take a nap when you’re overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do (been there, done that, strongly recommend!).
Today I want to tell you more about why it’s important to develop a clear brand message and how it can help your business in the long run.
I) What is a brand message?
Brand messaging, not to be confused with your brand values, is « the art of using the right words to communicate the essence of your brand to potential customers. » (1)
Often, you just have a few seconds to attract the attention of people. To make these few seconds count you’ll have to be concise and impactful. To do that you’ll have to know exactly why you do what you do.
Find your why in many words, express it in a few words, make an impactful slogan/tagline out of it.
Let’s take an example.
Let’s say I want to sell artisanal cheese. There are countless cheese brands out there that sells the same thing. They have better distributors, more money for marketing and already a brand reputation so how do I differentiate myself?
What I would do is look into the why I’m doing it. Maybe I believe that the best food should be made by hand, that it should be environmentally friendly and that every components of it should be locally sourced. Maybe I’m tired of companies being secretive about how they make our food and I want my company to be completely transparent. Maybe I want to build a community of cheese lovers who recognize the art of good cheese-making (disclaimer: I know nothing about cheese). After all this pondering and questioning, I can define my why and my brand message could take the shape of a slogan like: « Taste the difference » (2).
This might be a good or bad example, but I’m sure you get it. Find your why in many words, express it in a few words, make an impactful slogan/tagline out of it.
II) Brand message vs Brand values
It is easy to confuse the two since they are often intertwined but the difference is clearer than you think.
Your brand message is the expression, in a few words, of the essence of your brand. Your brand values on the other hand express your why. Your brand values statement should describe your mission, what you stand for, why you do what you do.
It always makes more sense with an example so, as usual, let’s take a look at Nike.
Nike’s brand message is « Just Do It ». With this single sentence they express what they’re about and what, by association, you’re about (taking action in life, moving forward, pushing yourself).
Nike’s brand values statement starts like that:
Our Mission: bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. | *If you have a body, you are an athlete.
They clearly state their mission, what they do, why they do it and who it is for. They convey the idea of creativity, sportsmanship and inclusivity.
III) But why should I do that?
By now, you might ask yourself: « ok that’s nice but why should I do that? I have cheese to sell. »
Well, that’s exactly because you have cheese to sell that you should do that.
Most of us, when creating our brand, will be selling a version of something that already exists. No matter how good you think your product is compared to your competitors, people won’t care unless you appeal to them on an emotional level. The only way to differentiate yourself, outside of price and convenience (maybe you do same-day delivery or something like that), is going to be how valuable your brand looks to the outside world. Is it something desirable? Does it stand out? Is the message so strong that it makes it difficult to buy the alternative?
Sometimes your why might be very strong but if you don’t know how to convey it in a simple digestible way, people will not know.
As a company, if you believe your product can be a positive addition to somebody’s life (and I hope you do), it is your role to get the message across so they can benefit from it. You get a client and they get to obtain a solution to a want or need they have.
IV) Brand messaging but, from the inside…
Brand messaging isn’t just something you define for your customers. It should also apply to the life inside your company.
Saying something to your customers and acting differently towards your employees might have had little consequences in the past with the whole « business is business » mentality but this era is over. Branding is a 360° type of deal. Live what you preach and evolve with the times, always.
Branding is a very powerful approach to business. One that creates communities and a sense of belonging. When defining your brand message, you should take an honest and transparent approach. The aim is not to make people believe something, it is to make them understand what you’re about. This is a great way to attract the right customers and allow them to enjoy a product made with people like them in mind. It is about getting a message across and allowing the people it is made for to hear it.
/ Recap’ /
A brand message is the art of using the right words to communicate the essence of your brand to potential customers.
How to define your brand message: find your why in many words, express it in a few words, make an impactful slogan/tagline out of it.
Your brand message is different than your brand values.
Your brand values statement expresses your why. It describes your mission, what you stand for, why you do what you do (see Nike example).
Brand messaging isn’t just something you define for your customers. It should also apply to the life inside your company.
