Guest post by Timothy Fariss
I believe in beauty and simplicity.
This belief drives me to do what I do and defines the way I interact with the world. It's the reason I wear solid color clothing and not Tommy Bahama palm tree shirts.
Why am I telling you this?
Why is a good question. In fact, it's also the answer. The statement "I believe in beauty and simplicity" is not only the why behind my buying decisions, it's the glue that bonds me to the community of others, including companies, that share my belief, and it's the key to winning my business, despite your product or service.
Marketers often want to sell me on the what. For example, a company marketing phones may say "We offer this speed, with this data plan, and these features, at this price point, isn't that great?!" Sure, besides the fact that next year it will all be obsolete and you'll have to completely recreate your pitch to win me again.
But, if the phone company built their value proposition on the foundation of a belief system, a why in other words, the proposition would resonate with me much deeper, connecting at an intrinsic emotional level-a level that, again, transcends a specific product. As products change I'll continue to return because you have told me you believe in the same things I do. This is the job of branding.
Branding is the DNA of the why behind who you are, why you do what you do, and how you do it.
This is why Nike isn't a sports shoes and apparel company, they're a company in the business of victory, winning and the feeling that comes with pushing limits. They do this by creating products that are representative of the belief in victory, and those products happen to be oriented towards sports.
Watch a Nike commercial lately? Not as much focus on the product as the ethos of "victory and winning" right? This is because Nike has invested in building a brand to the extent that they don't even have to tell you what the "it" is in "just do it"-those loyal to the brand know what "it" is-an exclusivity and an association with others who have attained the knowledge of "it" belongs to those who also believe in victory and winning.
Over the years, Nike has branded so well they have completely dropped the 'just do it' tagline - the swoosh logo is now enough to instill in consumers the sum total of the Nike brand ethos. If you believe in victory and winning, there's a great chance Nike can sell you more than just shoes.
So is your company known for, and built on, why or what? Does your business slow between product cycles? Are you tired of recreating campaigns because the what changes every year? Are you connecting with people at a belief level in your messaging?
Build a brand, sell a belief, transcend a product. Do that, and you'll sell more faster longer.
Timothy Fariss is a partner at Horn & Tusk - a brand strategy and visual identity design studio in downtown Seattle.