Why Do I Need To Define the Identity of My Business?

Here at Craft & Cloud Marketing Co, we first seek to understand the identity of each business as we begin marketing for them and build their brand. Sometimes people ask us, “Why do I need all that? Isn’t it enough that I do a good job and try to meet the needs of my customers?”

To understand this, let’s ask another question: What is the identity of a business?

Your business identity could be defined as what actually IS – the beliefs, guiding principles, and priorities – that exist in your business today.

Another term for your business identity would be your core values. These core values form the essence of your business character; they are, as we said, the beliefs, guiding principles, and priorities that exist and that guide both your small daily choices and your larger periodic decisions.

Core values are not what you would like your company to become – those could be defined as aspirational values. They are also not simply the minimum social or behavioral standards that you require of any employee – those could be thought of as the basic permission-to-play values.

Core values are the beliefs and principles that you act on and hold dear TODAY! They are the compass that is presently guiding you to fulfill the vision and purpose of your business.

Here’s another question: If every business already has core values, why identify them?

Excellent question, and one with an answer that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

The answer is this: The more clearly your core values can be identified, the more direction they can give to the daily decisions that need to be measured and shaped by them. And a business that makes every daily decision in light of their core values, gains a strength and coherence from top to bottom that is not easily shaken by external forces.

Why else should you identify the core values of your business?
• Knowing who you are helps you avoid change in unwanted directions.
• Knowing who you are helps you make DESIRED business changes.
• Knowing your identity helps you attract the employees and customers that you really want.
• Knowing your core values enables you to teach them to your employees.
• Knowing your core values enables you to quickly solve people issues within your company.
• Understanding your products and services will be easier for your customers if they know your core values
•Your customers will better appreciate the greater value that your brand offers them

After your core values have been identified, we move into formulating your BRAND, or the way you present your company and its core values to your customers. Another definition of a brand could be “A difference attached to your name.”

Successful branding is telling a story that influences the emotions of your customer. When you can tell your customers in a few words exactly why your business with its unique core values is the best choice for them, you’ve got your brand. Sound simple?

Actually, a lot of companies find it difficult to distill (1) what they do, (2) who they do it for, and (3) why they do it, into a short phrase. They seem lost in a cloud of details and impressions whenever they attempt to articulate their brand, and this confusion represents a huge lost opportunity. Why is this so? The clear story that a good brand communicates is extremely valuable.

Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business.”
-Steve Forbes

Branding allows you to build relationships with your audience which can eventually turn them into loyal customers. Simply put, if you improve your brand, you will improve your sales.

It may sound oversimplified, but the first step in creating a brand involves going back to your company’s core values and using them to answer these questions.

It may sound oversimplified, but the first step in creating a brand involves going back to your company’s core values and using them to answer these questions.

We also look at competitors and research the market to see how to best differentiate you and also to explore niches and needs that might not be being filled by the present players in that sector.

After understanding all these things, we begin to identify the colors, logos, and graphics that we should build into your brand and logo to best communicate these ideals and beliefs. Our job at this point is essentially that of a translator; we seek to translate the words that explain your core values into graphics that will embody them even more powerfully. Colors are very important here – green is the color of relaxation, silver builds a classy, elegant image, red is a sign of agitation, and blue will send signals of longevity and stability. These graphics can then be used to build your website, create brochures and business cards, and emblazon vehicles and business signs.

All of this can be built coherently into a beautiful brand that customers will instantly recognize because of one thing. And that one thing is this: Someone took the time to truly understand the identity of this business.

Would you like us to help you understand your business next? Lets Talk.