How To Use Your Brand Foundation To Make A Positive Impact
| By Tortuga Creative Studio |
This is a modified version of the article, “The quick guide to really understanding your brand mission and brand vision,” originally published by Tortuga Creative Studio.
There’s no escaping the fact that sustainable branding is powerfully impactful, especially for purpose-driven businesses looking to grow and succeed in their respective industry. Behind every successful business is a solid branding strategy that helps you stand out from the crowd, connect with your audience, and positively impact the world.
Every successful branding strategy starts with consistency. According to an SDL global survey, 60% of millennial consumers expect consistent branding across different platforms. To achieve brand consistency, it’s essential that your branding is well-defined, cohesive, and memorable.
Not only does consistent and memorable branding influence your audience, but every decision you make in your business should come back to your branding, or rather, your brand foundations.
What Is A Brand Foundation?
To build a consistent brand, you must focus on the often overlooked and undervalued internal brand elements: your brand’s mission, vision, values, and purpose. These four brand elements are key players in the success of your overall branding and, thus, your purpose-driven business.
Why? Because these core internal elements work together to build and establish a strong foundational compass for your brand. Your brand’s foundational compass is the core of your business and should serve as a guide and point you in the direction of where you want to take your brand now and in the future.
A well-thought-out brand foundational compass can be game-changing when faced with a business decision. Not only can you hold up every decision you make to your brand’s foundational compass and know immediately if you should say yes or no, but it will guide you down the path to clarity and confidence in your purpose-driven business.
However, if your brand foundation is unclear or weak, you won’t know which direction you’re taking your business or what you need to get there. Without a compass or brand foundations, you’re more likely to wander aimlessly without knowing where you’re going.
That’s why it’s important to build a solid brand foundation before you ever set sail –and that means deep diving into your brand purpose, mission, vision, and values. While all four elements can impact the trajectory of your purpose-driven business, we want to focus, in particular, on your brand mission and vision statements.
It’s essential to clear up any confusion around these two overlooked yet, critical elements. When you know what a vision and mission statement is, how they work separately, and most importantly, how they work together to build a consistent brand, your brand vision and mission can turn the tide of your purpose-driven business towards sustainability and success.
What Is Your Brand Vision?
Your brand vision statement is the big WHAT behind your brand. Think of what you want to achieve with your purpose-driven business down the road – think big and bold. Maybe you’re not sure if you will reach this goal because it’s so big, but you’re going to try your best!
In theory, your brand vision should clarify what you plan to do to reach your business’s long-term aspiration or goal. It’s also meant to be straightforward, measurable, and, most importantly, inspirational to everyone on your team.
Does this big, audacious goal make you and your team feel excited? Do you feel jazzed or inspired to just go for it? If you answered yes, that’s when you know your brand vision is on point. Here are some questions to help you get there:
- WHAT do you want to accomplish or achieve? WHAT have you already accomplished?
- WHAT do you want your brand to become in 5-10 years?
- WHAT change have you made in the world?
- WHAT difference have you made?
- WHAT are the ultimate goals for your outdoor business?
- In WHAT way are you changing your customer’s life?
What Is Your Brand Mission?
Your brand mission statement is all about HOW you’ll get to your final destination on a day-to-day basis. It’s the hands-on approach that will get your business from point A (where you are right now) to point B (end goal or brand vision).
Your brand’s mission should serve as inspiration and clarity for the daily, weekly, and monthly decisions you and your team make in your business decisions.
Here are a few questions to help you clarify your brand mission:
- HOW do you plan to achieve your brand’s vision (aka that end goal)?
- HOW are you going to get there? What are the day-to-day actions you need to take?
- HOW will your brand look in 1-3 years? What direction do you want it to go?
The Importance Of A Brand Vision & Brand Mission
Your brand vision and mission are powerful tools to help you build a strong branding strategy. Both serve a unique and clear purpose for your business as you navigate where you’re going in the long term (your brand vision) and the steps you’ll be taking along the way (your brand mission).
Building a rock-solid brand foundation will give you confidence in the direction you’re taking your purpose-driven business and clarity in the decisions you make to get there –because every decision you make in your business should be measured against your brand foundations.
Does this decision serve your brand’s vision? Does it serve your brand’s mission? If it does, sail on. If it doesn’t, toss it overboard. Use your branding elements as your compass because they will always point you in the right direction!
By putting in the time to understand and clarify your brand vision and mission, you are turning the tide of your purpose-driven business with branding foundations that will direct your actions and help you achieve goals that positively impact people and the planet.
Owned by Natalie Gilson and Brandyn Hansen, Tortuga Creative Studio helps to guide outdoor adventure businesses to clarity and confidence in their brand through branding, strategy and design. Tortuga Creative Studio is also a member of 1% for the Planet and adopts sea turtles for every project booked. Put your brand on the right path by taking the free brand journey quiz and downloading the free brand foundational compass!
Want to learn even more about branding? Subscribe to the 3P Insights Learning Library! You’ll gain access to Natalie and Brandyn’s Small Business Branding + Canva Workshop. The certified green designers share tips and techniques to enhance your branding efforts, helping you to create a brand ecosystem that instills your business purpose.
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3P Insights is a consulting firm that offers training, speaking and support services to help organizations attract and retain diverse talent, create inclusive workplaces, become better environmental stewards, and improve their overall social, environmental, and economic impact.
