 Chad Harris |
Remember when you started your business with the idea of doing it better than anyone else or with the goal of breaking the traditions of old? That’s when you had your soul in the palm of your hands. And that’s what drove you during the early part of your career. Unfortunately, over the years and through the changing of the seasons, somewhere along the way, your mojo almost invariably hits the road. A business’ soul is its brand identity, and a brand is what bonds the consumer to the business. You don’t have to think long to come up with a great brand—take, for instance, one that people engage with every morning: Starbucks. Great brand identity … cult-like following … there are coffee shops all over, and Starbucks is an experience, even for non-coffee drinkers. Getting back your mojo You can take heart in the notion that building a great brand doesn’t necessarily mean building the next Starbucks. Sometimes building a great brand simply means returning the soul to a company. Having a soul today is about ethics and about purpose and—most of all—about delivering a fair value (while earning a fair profit for your hard work). It’s about people thinking of you in a positive light. When I started The Garden Gates with my wife Beth, we joked each day that we could never buy anything that we couldn’t take home ourselves (because if it didn’t work out—you guessed it—it was coming home). As we continue to develop our brand, we remain true to our original core values that drove us to risk it all for something better. These core values are the principles in our brand identity and are at the forefront of each business decision we make. In essence, we have tried to turn our store into a place where we would like to shop. Make the mojo go Keeping your core values (the soul of the business) at the top of your priority list is a difficult endeavor when vendors are calling, customers need help and employees are driving you crazy. You’ll likely have to force yourself to take a step back for a moment to re-evaluate why you went into business in the first place. During these times, revisit photos of the past, maybe from when you started out. They will help remind you of how far you’ve come. Reading thank you letters from customers is always inspiring—and a quick reminder of the good you have done in this world. Branding mojo As your business develops, so should your brand. A business often will create its brand in conjunction with the products it sells, almost adopting the products’ culture. Consider the values you have as a business and carry only items and brands that fit your core values. If you’re a boutique-style store, then consider carrying products that are not readily available elsewhere. If you don’t want to compete with the big-box stores, don’t sell similar products. If you don’t believe in having “sales,” don’t sell things that everyone sells; then you don’t have to slash prices like the competitors to capture a page out of the consumer’s checkbook. Making your mojo work At its core, branding is simply finding the voice of your company and communicating that voice to your consumers, competitors and partners in business. Continuing to build your brand and developing its voice requires daily attention, but the outcome will result in high profits, longevity and a cult-like following. Contact Chad E. Harris, charris@ceverettharris.com; www.ceverettharris.com; www.thegardengates.com; follow him @ www.twitter.com/ceverettharris; friend him @ www.facebook.com/ceverettharris; watch him @ www.youtube/thegardengatesnola.com; read about him @ www.thegardengatesblog.com |
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