How Beliefs Influence Relationships

When your beliefs align with someone else's, it usually fosters a deeper connection. Conversely, differing views can hinder relationship development. This concept applies directly to branding and can significantly impact your business's success.

Regrettably, many businesses misunderstand this principle. By embodying specific values in your brand, you can attract customers who resonate with those values, making them more likely to choose you over competitors. However, if you mismanage this aspect, you risk alienating both existing and potential customers.

Authenticity Over Imitation

For example, when I was about 8 years old, I was the quintessential 'goody two shoes' student—getting straight A’s and being the teacher's favorite. While I enjoyed the admiration from a few like-minded peers, I noticed that the 'bad kids' garnered more attention from the larger group.

In an attempt to fit in, I pretended to be aloof and uninterested in my studies, only to realize that this behavior was inauthentic to my true self, ultimately causing me to lose the attention I craved.

How Businesses Misinterpret Branding

Many entrepreneurs take a similar approach to branding. They may have read that adopting core brand values is crucial for long-term success. They understand that values can drive brand actions, clarify expectations for employees, and set customer expectations.

All of these statements hold truth. However, if your business defines more than 3-4 core values, it suggests a lack of clarity about your identity, which can confuse your customers. Moreover, these values often end up being cliched—assumptions customers expect from any brand.

The Impact of Brand Values on Success

Clearly articulating what you stand for allows potential customers to understand your brand's mission. Regardless of your opinion on Donald Trump, his 2016 political campaign exemplified clarity in branding.

Authentic brand values must reflect your true self, your business, and your team. When you genuinely embody these values, customers will naturally be drawn to you.

Key Takeaways for Effective Brand Value Usage

To summarize, here are the three major pitfalls businesses encounter when defining brand values:

1. Vagueness: If values are too ambiguous, they become challenging to implement.
2. Clichés: Using overused phrases misses the chance to differentiate yourself from competitors.
3. Inauthenticity: Values that aren’t true to your business can harm long-term growth and alienate customers.

When I assist clients in defining their brand values, I focus on three essential components:

• What it is: A headline-style title
• What it means: A description providing context
• Day-to-day application: How these values manifest in daily operations for the brand or team members

Here are some illustrative examples:

Example One: Telecommunications Company

Value: Committed to Continuous Learning

Description: We view learning as crucial for understanding our clients’ unique needs, fostering collaboration to create tailored solutions.

Application: Organize weekly learning sessions and hackathons to explore new technologies.

Example Two: Non-Profit Organization

Value: Helping Each Other

Description: Our identity is rooted in our actions, not our titles. Seeking help is a strength, not a weakness.

Application: If you see someone in need, offer your assistance. Don’t hesitate to ask for help yourself, even if it feels early.

Example Three: Health Food Brand

Value: Empowering Choices

Description: Our mission began with guiding customers towards healthier meals but has evolved to foster autonomy in their food preferences.

Application: Every customer service representative maintains a database of customer preferences, updating it weekly to enhance personalization.

The Benefits of Authentic Brand Values

Clients who embrace relevant and actionable brand values often see tangible outcomes, including:

• Increased Net Promoter Scores
• Higher revenue driven by improved team performance
• Enhanced job satisfaction among employees

What three words or phrases would you use to define your brand values? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Enjoyed this article?

I'm Ilya, and I simplify branding by offering actionable insights for business owners. Follow me for even more branding wisdom than your grandmother could provide, bless her.

Please share this article with someone who might appreciate it. I send out monthly insights to my Studeo Insiders—if this resonated with you, consider subscribing.