The Branding Exercise That Aligns Your Brand With Your Value

You probably don't shop at just one grocery store.

Trader Joe's might be where you go when you want to find something new. Whole Foods is for healthier options. Costco saves you money. Erewhon... maybe has a bit of status behind it.

They're all selling groceries.

But they're not trying to win for the same reason.

That's what makes them memorable. You know what you can count on when you walk through their doors because they've built their brands around those strengths.

Your business is no different.

Rather watch than read? We've got you.

>>Shortcut to Video Explanation<<

Buyer Psychology Starts with Value

People don't buy simply because a product or service exists—they buy because they believe it will improve something in their lives.

Maybe it saves them time. Maybe it saves them money. Maybe it helps them feel healthier, more connected, more knowledgeable, or brings them more joy. Sometimes the motivation is practical. Other times it's emotional. Either way, every purchase starts with the same question:

"What value does this create for me?"

Branding isn't just about communicating what you do. It's about communicating why someone should choose you instead of someone else.

Over time, we've found that nearly every business competes by creating value in one or more of these eleven areas.

Most businesses create value in several of these areas.

• Time

• Money

• Ease

• Health

• Knowledge

• Innovation

• Connection

• Joy

• Transformation

• Values

• Status

The mistake is trying to become known for all of them.

What Do You Want to Be Known For?

Take a look at the list and write down the three values that best represent your business.

Not the three you'd like to be known for someday.

The three you genuinely believe customers experience today.

Choose only three.

While doing this exercise was even tricky for us to narrow down, we believe deeply in the three strengths we did.

For Malibu West, those three are:

• Knowledge

• Transformation

• Connection

Every business will have a different answer. And that is exactly and wonderfully the point.

The Friend Test

Now comes the interesting part.

Send this same list to someone who knows your business: a friend, a client, or someone who's familiar with your work (but not someone that works at the company). You want them to be close to you, but not necessarily on the inside.

Ask them to write down the three values they believe your business is known for.

Then compare answers.

If they choose the same three you did, your branding is working.

If they don't, see it as a cool opportunity to improve.

It doesn't mean you're delivering the wrong value, but rather that your branding may not be communicating it clearly.

Alignment is a Core Function of Branding

This exercise isn't really about choosing three words (though we hope that part helped!).

It's about making sure the value you believe your business provides is the same value other people see when they look at your brand.

The strongest brands aren't remembered because they try to be everything to everyone. They're remembered because they consistently deliver a specific kind of value, over and over again.

When the way you describe your business matches the way your customers or future customers describe it, your branding is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

Want to talk through it on a free 30 minute creative session?