4 factors to factor in when crafting your brand vision
Writing a brand vision (i.e. a set of ideas or ideals based in the future that gives your brand a clear sense of direction) may seem a drawn out, unnecessary or irrelevant task to many in business. For others its a case of too much fluff, not enough substance. ‘We don’t need ‘vision’, we need action, right?’ Actually, what you really need is both: a vision that is aligned to and compels action. If you can get both aligned and focused in your business then brand and business success will follow because the benefits a clear vision manifests are alignment, focus and belief.
I hear you though. There are many ‘brand visions’ out there that are full of hot air or ‘pleasant platitudes’ in the desire to be all things to all people. The only goal they achieve is that they ultimately resonate with no-one. At best they are derivative, while the worst are dull, boring, uninspiring, unintelligible or meaningless.
Since a brand’s power lies in its ability to resonate deeply with your customers’ hearts and minds, why would you shoot yourself in the foot and miss a golden opportunity to convey your beliefs by creating overly complex and long-winded statements that no one understands or cares about?
The thing is, brands and branding is all about communicating what you believe in, not what you actually do. At its core this is your Brand Purpose. A Brand Vision, however, is not the ‘why’ but the ‘what’ – its usually aspirational in that it is inextricably linked to the values and beliefs of the business. Effective and successful brands waste no opportunity to share what they believe in and importantly they consistently communicate what they are about both internally and externally. These businesses are an inspiration because they practice what they preach – they walk the talk, and generate strong loyalty internally from associates and advocates who believe passionately in the mission to help define the culture. Its a powerful synergy yet it is all determined by and needs to be ‘in sync’ with your brand vision.
While fluff does creep into many brand vision statements, one way of avoiding it is to develop a strong vision that is both simple and built around a robust message that resonates with your ideal customer. That being said…
Here are 4 factors to factor in when developing your own brand vision:
Aim High, Think Big: when creating a brand vision for your company, think big and develop big ideas for the business. Be bold. ‘Aim for the ceiling and you may just get the floor, aim for the sky and you may just hit the ceiling’. A powerful vision addresses all potential issues concerning your consumer or Avatar. Critically the vision must resonate with you, your employees and ideal customers so it energises, empowers and flows through the entire business.
Crave Consistency: its important for your brand vision to be consistent with the business or corporate strategy. For that reason, whether you’re a small business owner or a top corporate manager, you should take part in creating the vision. There’s no place for prejudice or status here – its all about developing the clear vision that everyone, from CEO to apprentice, can identify with.
Gear Yourself Up For Growth: develop a brand vision that facilitates and boosts the growth of the business beyond the existing product categories or offering. Thinking this way and encapsulating this on your vision will set you up for continued growth.
Regular Revision Keeps You Relevant: while a brand vision projects with a long-term outlook, its important to make sure your vision is revised on a regular basis. Brands operate in a constantly evolving and increasingly volatile environment. Its wise to revise your vision according to the changing environment to ensure it always remains relevant for your customers. No relevancy, no brand, no brand advocates, no business.
The true value of crafting an effective brand vision is often intangible in nature. Every strategic business decision you make should be aligned and in accordance with your brand vision. It therefore empowers you to move forward in business while galvanising your staff and energising your culture. An ‘ideal’ brand vision replicates the business strategy, is distinct from your competitors, inspires staff, resonates with consumers and guides your brand to meet its strategic goals.
Time to get busy making that vision a reality!
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I hope you gained some benefit and learned something new, insightful or useful.
As The Brand Entrepreneur, I’m passionate about creating brand stories & developing design assets that help brands get ‘in sync’ and connected to ‘customers they care’ about. Successful brands in the future care about customers, not branding. I believe that future is now. I help busy business owners and savvy entrepreneurs to ‘market smarter’ by deeply defining their ‘ideal’ customer with The ‘My Avatar’ Workshop.
Jamie – The Brand Entrepreneur