What's Your Brand's Raison d'être?
I love the French language, as the words lusciously spill across my lips. Everything sounds romantic in French, doesn't it?
But I'm using that delicious phrase to ask the most important question that MUST be asked of a big corporation, or any sized company for that matter...
What is your reason for being... your Raison d'être?
Most larger companies have a mission statement that, hopefully, embodies their real values — what they stand for in the world that they wouldn't change come hell or high water. It's who they BE in the world.
Do you have an unshakable, immovable reason for being?
You may know Simon Sinek's, The Optimism Company, here on LinkedIn. They help people uncover their purpose (or their WHY), so they can live with more meaning in their lives. (And who doesn't want to live a more meaningful life?)
More and more people place a very high priority on choosing 'meaning over money' in a job. They want to work for companies that walk their walk, not just talk their talk.
A McKinsey study found that 70% of employees consider work a defining factor in their personal sense of purpose which, in turn, drives both commitment and performance:
"Employees expect their jobs to bring a significant sense of purpose to their lives.Employers need to help meet this need, or be prepared to lose talent to companies that will."
In a recent article in Simon's newsletter, A Spark of Optimism, he expressed his company's purpose this way:
"We envision a world where the majority of people wake up each morning feeling inspired, safe wherever they are, and go to bed fulfilled by the work they do. And we believe that the best way to bring this world to life is by committing to build it together."
Now that's a bold Raison d'être, I'd say.
How does your company's 'reason for being' measure up to Simon's?
As a wordsmith, I love dissecting every, little word. It's how I carefully and intentionally craft just the right phrase to touch the emotion (or logic) that I want to evoke.
So I beg your indulgence, as I dig into the stated purpose of Simon's company.
First, "We envision a world where..."
Right out the shute, you know it's BIG, right? They SEE the entire world. They're holding a picture in their hearts/minds of a certain thing in the world — what is it, my mind wants to know!
Then, "We envision a world where the majority of people wake up each morning feeling inspired, safe wherever they are..."
Interesting they chose to say the "majority" of people. Why not "all" people, I wonder? Anyway, they see the majority of people waking up every morning, feeling "inspired, safe" wherever they are.
Putting "inspired" before "safe" shows how much he and his staff believe in inspiration and "wherever they are" refers to all over the planet. That's pretty lofty, isn't it?
The addition of "safe" tells me they're aware of the need, and they care about everyone living in a safe environment.
Next, "... and go to bed fulfilled by the work they do."
They envision the majority of people in the world, waking up every morning feeling inspired and safe, and even falling asleep, feeling fulfilled by the work they do. Now that's fulfillment in your work.
Finally, "And we believe that the best way to bring this world to life is by committing to build it together."
Now we see the ACTION they believe is necessary, in order to create the world they envision. It's for everyone committing to BUILD it together.
Their vision is BIG, and they believe it is attainable, by everyone committing ('ing' is on-going) to build it together.
In Conclusion:
Not only is it mandatory to have a succinct, heart-felt purpose, mission statement — Raison d'être — for a brand's effective marketing, it's also becoming more important to attract and retain top talent, who are requiring more meaning in their work.
And after digging deep into what your company stands for, and crafting it wisely and sincerely... next comes the 'doing' part. In every brand story, every ad, every social post, email campaign, and sales materials...
Your sincerity must shine through. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of pretty words, devoid of meaning.
Be the real deal. Your employees will love you for it and be much happier and more loyal, brand ambassadors. And your prospects will be more apt to become your customers, if they trust you.
I can help you craft a meaningful mission/purpose statement that instills trust and inspiration in all who read it... if you mean it.
My Raison d'être is to "Be open to truth wherever truth exists. And to tell my truth; only tell it quicker."
If you find value in my thoughts and observations, please like, comment, share... and subscribe to my #meaningfulmarketingmessages newsletter on Linkedin?
Here's to meaning!
Carolyn
#kickasscopywriter