Imagine you need to grab a loaf of bread for your neighbour, they don't express any preferences, they just need some bread to make a simple lunch sandwich. You will probably just pop into the nearest supermarket or corner store and pick up the cheapest basic loaf.

It does the job, it was the best price.

Do you want people to look at your offers that way? I am pretty sure you would be devastated if you knew people simply looked at your offers as just a transaction and nothing more and they only choose it because it's the cheapest option that does the job and looks nice.

If you feel like your customers/clients just come and go and no one seems really excited by your brand or tells you how much they love your business, then you could be lacking purpose in your brand.This doesn't mean you might not personally have a purpose, but you are not communicating it in your branding.

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What will make a customer go from saying "that's nice" and simply looking at your offers just something to purchase to being obsessed with your brand?

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HAVING PURPOSE.

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What is a brand purpose?

‍What is brand purpose? A brand purpose is essentially a brand's reason for being beyond making money. Now you are running a business not a hobby or charity, so making money is important, but your brand purpose is about going deeper and looking at why your brand exists beyond that. A brand with a purpose is far more appealing than a meaningless money making machine.

Consider why some big brands are so well loved.

It's the purpose behind their brand more than what they sell.

e.g Dove- "Dove is committed to helping all women realize their personal beauty potential by creating products that deliver real care.

"Crayola- "At Crayola, our purpose is to help parents and educators raise creatively-alive kids."Ben & Jerrys-

"Ben & Jerry's is committed to making the world a better place. Guided by core values, every level of Ben & Jerry's works to advance human rights and dignity, support social and economic justice for marginalised communities, and protect and restore the Earth's natural systems."Having this purpose is why people are choosing those brand over others, even if they sell very similar products.

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A brand with purpose is far more appealing than a meaningless brand. It creates a deeper connection that goes beyond commerce. Without purpose, people will just being looking at your offer and deciding if they like the look and function and asking how much it costs.
It is pure commerce and nothing more.
This leads to people comparing your offer to your competitors, and looking for the cheaper and better offer, without a care for the brand behind it.

You don't want people to be blind to your brand.

Just like when someone buys something from a marketplace like Amazon, Etsy or Ebay. They will compare products and choose the one that is the best fit with little care for the brand behind it. If someone asks where they got it from they will name the marketplace not the individual shop owner.

Now you can still use marketplaces and build a brand people feel connected to but that requires having more than just a marketplace and establishing your brand in other places where people can get to know you and build a deeper connection with your brand.

Without building a brand identity and sharing your brand purpose, people will not care about your brand, there will be no loyalty or love for your brand.

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How to Define Your Brand Purpose

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As we have already established, your brand purpose is about why your brand exists beyond making money. It's not just about selling a product or service, but about creating something that truly adds value to people's lives. Of course, making money is important in any business, but it should not be the only goal. Your business should have a deeper purpose that goes beyond profits.

One of the key ways to find your brand purpose is to think about what inspired you to start your business in the first place. Perhaps you had a passion for a particular product or service, or you saw an unmet need in the market that you wanted to address. Maybe you had a skill or knowledge that you wanted to share with others, or you simply wanted to create something that would make a difference in people's lives.

As your business evolves, your brand purpose may evolve as well. You may discover new things about yourself and your customers that help you refine your purpose and focus on what really matters. This could involve expanding your product offerings, exploring new markets, or finding new ways to connect with your customers.

Ultimately, your brand purpose should be a guiding force that informs everything you do as a business. It should inspire you and your audience to work towards a common goal and create something that truly makes a difference in the world. So take some time to reflect on your purpose.

Here are some questions to help you:

• What problem does your brand solves?
• What are your brand values?
• What is your brands mission?
• Why are you passionate about what you do and who you help?

Once you have gone through these questions create a simple statement that sums up your brand purpose. Look at the examples from the bigger brands. It doesn't need to be long or complext, just a simple statement.

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How to Communicate Your Purpose in your Branding

Now that you feel more clear about your brand purpose, how can you actually communicate it in your branding. A brand purpose isn't much use if it's only an idea in your head.

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Communicating your brand purpose in your branding is essential to creating a strong and authentic brand that resonates with your target audience. There are several ways to do this:

Use your brand voice: Your brand voice is the tone and style of your brand's communications. It should reflect your brand's personality and values, and be consistent across all your marketing channels. By using a consistent brand voice, you can communicate your brand purpose in a way that is clear and memorable. Basically.. keep talking about it.

Use visual cues: Your brand's visual identity, including your logo, colours, and typography, can also communicate your brand purpose. For example, if your brand purpose is to promote sustainability, you might use earthy colors and natural imagery in your branding to communicate this message.

Tell your story: Your brand story  explains why your brand exists and what it stands for. By sharing your brand story with your audience, you can communicate your brand purpose in a way that is engaging and memorable. Include it on your website, talk about it in your content from time to time.

Use brand messaging: By crafting clear and compelling brand messaging that reflects your brand purpose, you can communicate your message effectively to your audience. Consider phrases you use, tag lines, topics you discuss, things you share.

Show it in Action: Don't just talk about, also show it in action. If your purpose is to support women in business, show that by doing things that support women in business. Things like shout outs, features, interviews, buying from them etc.

Overall, communicating your brand purpose in your branding requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. By using a combination of visual and verbal cues, you can create a brand that is authentic, engaging, and memorable.

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How Your Brand Purpose Affects Your Audience.

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Having a clear, compelling and well communicated brand purpose makes your audience feel:

Seen and understood: They feel like your brand is actually listening to things they deem important and taking action to make a difference in that area. They also feel supported and that part of your purpose is to help them and that you really do care about them rather than you simply wanting to make money off them.

Connected and part of a community: Purpose can build community with people who are like minded, which makes you audience feel more connected and part of something bigger.

Part of a bigger mission: By supporting your brand, they feel like they are part of something bigger simply by spending money with you. It makes it easy for them to be part of something bigger.

Like they are spending their money in a more meaningful way: They know their purchase isn't just a money for goods transaction but they are spending their money in a more meaningful and impactful way. They can support things that matter and they are making a difference.

Aligned with their own values: Values and purpose are often closely related, and so your brand purpose will often align with your audiences values and things they also see as important. They will feel better about supporting a business that aligns with their values and is on a mission to make a difference in a way that they also care about.

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So if you haven't yet consider your brand purpose and how you can start to communicate it in your brand.