The most desirable brands go through an evolution. It starts with a shift in thinking. And then progresses through defining the story and ultimately clarifying that thing that those the brand hopes to serve will find irresistible. Here is that evolution broken down into 3 steps.

1. Shifting your focus from inward to outward

The first step in building a purpose-driven brand platform is to shift the focus of your decision-making. This means moving from an internal-first way of thinking to an external one. Here is an example at the most basic level. Instead of asking, "What would be best for the company?" you would instead ask, "What would be best for those we hope to serve?" Most companies will rush to say that they put the customer first. But, too few have made the shift to change the orientation of their decision-making.

Why is this important? Because self-preservation is a powerful instinct that we all have. It can drive a lot of decisions. Decisions that may be good for the company in the moment but may run counter to the needs of those you hope to serve. Those are decisions that can erode trust. And even leave customers at odds with your brand.

Adopting an outward-first way of thinking lays the foundation for a purpose-driven brand.

2. Creating your positioning

Establishing your positioning helps you commit to your purpose-driven fundamentals. It helps you voice who you are, what you do, why you're different, and – most importantly – why those you hope to serve should care.

A positioning statement is an internal document meant to help you capture the foundations of your story. Going through the process of creating the statement can reveal disconnects that may exist among those who are helping lead the company. This allows you to work through the differences of opinion and arrive at a statement that everyone can get on board with.

Why is this important? Because, ultimately, you're going to want to connect what you do and how you do it to your larger why (your Big Audacious Meaning) to become that purpose-driven brand. If you don't have definition and agreement on your position, it will become difficult to explain why your 'Why' is believable coming from your organization.

Here is an example of a typical positioning statement structure:

For (THE INDIVIDUALS WE HOPE TO SERVE)

Who are looking for (THEIR UNMET NEED)

Our organization (HOW WE MEET THAT UNMET NEED)

Unlike (COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVES)

Ours is the only organization that offers (FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTES)

That deliver (EMOTIONAL BENEFIT)

3. Clarifying your Big Audacious Meaning

A Big Audacious Meaning is a statement that clarifies the difference you hope to make in a life, a community, or even the world. It looks at questions in three areas:

• What are you best at?

• What are you passionate about?

• What is the difference you could make?

Once you have answered these questions, you can build your Big Audacious Meaning statement.

Here is a structure that I use:

We (WHAT WE'RE BEST AT)

So that we can (WHAT WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT)

In order to (THE DIFFERENCE YOU WILL MAKE)

Why is this important? You have shifted the orientation of your decision-making as described in step 1. You created your positioning as detailed in step 2. Now, clarifying your Big Audacious Meaning takes your brand to a new level. Its most evolved level. Sometimes referred to as the benefit of the benefit, your Big Audacious Meaning creates one of the most compelling reasons those you hope to serve will want to engage with you.

Taking steps to build your purpose-driven brand can unearth the extraordinary. And help you unlock new levels of potential. Because you're no longer just building a brand. You're making a difference.