Is your brand careening off into directions unknown?

Are you being authentic to your brand? Do you even know how you should judge that? If the answer is, “I don’t know”, you’re not alone. So many brands today lack a defining sense of purpose. As a result, there are very loose guard rails in place to guide how the brand should act. That could lead a brand to unintentionally doing some questionable things.

Brand purpose isn’t just a rallying cry

Purpose is a compass. It helps guide what you say. More importantly, it helps guide what you do. I wrote about this aspect of purpose recently:

...it's not just what you say, it's what you do. Which is why this (purpose) isn't like an advertising 'campaign'. That is the shallowest interpretation...No, purpose must be proven. It must be lived.

When you’re living your purpose, it’s easier to make decisions about what is right and what is not-so-right for your brand. This can be very powerful. With purpose in place, managers are no longer relegated to acting as punitive enforcers. They no longer have to spend all their energy keeping people on a road with those loose guard rails. With a clear purpose, they can help accelerate things. Help unlock potentially talented employees and help fuel their efforts.

Purpose brings clarity

I like to write about the incredible potential that brand purpose has to inspire everyone from team members to prospects. But its power to provide clarity can be equally as significant and moving. Imagine taking away the anxiety that your team members feel trying to navigate in an ambiguous environment. Imagine giving them a touchstone that allows them to make smart judgements about what is right (and not-so-right) for your brand. Imagine what that could motivate them to do.

On the road to purpose

So back to the question. Are you being authentic to your brand? If you have defined your brand purpose, you’ll know. The thrill of the acceleration will be palpable.