Understanding the "why" of your company can help shape its direction and strengthen the impact of your marketing efforts
The TEDx talk by Simon Sinek, "How great leaders inspire action," explains that by focusing on the "why," instead of the "how" and the "what," leaders can be significantly more impactful. It's such a powerful concept, that it serves as the keystone for all of the marketing initiatives we undertake as an agency.
Sinek says that everything should start with why, but usually the opposite is true. A company should explain why it exists as an organization and then talk about products and services. Yet, the reverse usually happens - companies jump into their products and what they do, and never discuss why their company was created in the first place.
Why you exist as a company is a powerful factor in why a potential customer will choose to do business with you.
Why is the "why" so critical for a company's success? Why you exist as a company is a powerful factor in why a potential customer will choose to do business with you. The "why" of your company makes you unique among your competition, and can inspire customers to take action.
Specifically, Sinek states:
"Why? How? What? This little idea explains why some organizations and some leaders are able to inspire where others aren't. Every single person, every single organization on the planet knows what they do. Some know how they do it. But very, very few people or organizations know why they do what they do. By "why," I mean: What's your purpose? What's your cause? What's your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care?
As a result, the way we think, we act, the way we communicate is from the outside in, it's obvious. We go from the clearest thing to the fuzziest thing. But the inspired leaders and the inspired organizations -- regardless of their size, regardless of their industry -- all think, act and communicate from the inside out."
We start with our "why" - we tell our clients' stories to drive business growth. It's what we're passionate about, why we get up every morning and why we love what we do.
One example is how we talk about our agency. We could start with the "what" - we provide marketing communications services - and then the "how" - we create compelling content, but that's uninspiring. So many agencies do that! We start with our "why" - we tell our clients' stories to drive business growth. It's what we're passionate about, why we get up every morning and why we love what we do.
Why is the "why" critical for marketing? If why you're undertaking a marketing initiative hasn't been identified, then the effort won't resonate with your customers. The "why" of what you're doing needs to be front and center because that's what people care about and will appreciate.
So, for your next marketing campaign, start with the "why." Your current and future customers will appreciate it.
If you need support in understanding your company's "why" and using that as the foundation for your marketing efforts, contact us for more information.
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