Articulate your ‘why’

You’re on a mission but do you know what is it?

By now we’ve all heard Simon Sinek banging on about how “people don't buy what you do, but why you do it”. We also know the brands we all revere have a well thought out and compelling ‘why’ set firmly in place. To put it another way, they are on a mission. So, if you haven’t already done this for your business, I would say it’s about time you did, and with some urgency (so dramatic!).

But why even bother with a ‘why’?
The truth is, that you already have one, you just can’t put your finger on it yet. It's expressed in the day-to-day running of your business, the way you talk to employees, and how you sell your product or service to your customers. It tends to be most apparent in your moments of passion, those moments you spend in ‘flow-state’, when you simply love your job and what you provide. The times that work doesn't even feel like work. This is all well and good, but if you don’t define it and narrow it down to a sentence or two you leave too much room for interpretation, leading to inconsistent messaging (internal and external) and generic, confused communications.

Here are a few examples of some well known brand’s mission statements.

A well-crafted mission statement gives a clear direction and framework for decision-making. It helps employees and other stakeholders align towards a common vision, and forms the foundation of your company's brand and visual identity. Defining your mission, vision and values also helps to peak interest and build trust with your customers and the wider community. 

Defining your mission statement.
So how do you find your ‘why’? There are, of course, varying degrees of activity here. As designers we often partner with brand planners that host fun and productive workshop sessions (normally for a whole day). They go through various activities that are completely geared towards unearthing the mission, vision and values that your business is built upon. Here we are looking for a simple, compelling truth. Other clients go through an internal process (with varying degrees of success). Normally, as a minimum, we like to go through this worksheet to get a solid one-page Mission, Vision, Values definition. Here’s an example of the sort of thing we like to produce.

In conclusion, finding and articulating your 'why' is crucial to the success of your business. It's not just a nice-to-have, but an essential element that forms the foundation of your brand identity, messaging and decision-making. Whether you choose to work with an agency or go through an internal process, the end goal is to arrive at a simple and compelling mission statement that captures the essence of your business. With a well-crafted 'why', you can align your team, attract customers and build trust with your community. So, take the time to define your mission, vision and values, and reap the benefits of a clear direction for your business.