One of the more powerful truths about owning and running a business is knowing why you are in business (besides financial success). When you identify the WHY, it’s your duty to be sure everyone knows it on the team, your clients, your prospective clients, and in your marketing/branding.
The premise to identifying your why is having an undying passion for your work and feeling you are contributing to something bigger than yourself. You are connecting your work with a sense of purpose.
Why is it important to know your why? Two valid reasons:
1. As humans we need a purpose deep down where our morals and values reside that ignites our passion daily and gives us a reason to get out of bed, other than the need and desire to make money but to feel fulfilled. Otherwise, we can feel like a manufactured version of ourselves, disconnected from our joy, creativity, and heart.
2. People will more likely buy our product, service, and be willing to sponsor or donate to a cause because of our why, not just because it’s a good product, service, or cause. It is authentic brand messaging and an authentic sales posture. How so? Humans can sense passion vs when they are being sold to. It’s a very different vibe, isn’t it?
Have you been on the receiving end of someone who was just selling to get the contract, the deal, the money? Instead of selling from a place of passion, a bigger purpose and they share that with you?
People buy from those who they know like and trust and have passion for why they are doing their line of work and can fulfill their need at a higher level of service or product.
I am not saying money is not important. Far from that. You know I live and teach the vital importance of a healthy money relationship and that money is a blessing, a tool for the exchange of goods and services, and a tool to fund our dreams and desires.
However, when you have the blend of money as a blessing with having monetary goals to strive for AND your why, now you have a very powerful selling and branding posture that feels real and inspiring to your target market.
Simon Sinek, global speaker and author of Find Your Why, says your why is a deep-seated purpose, cause, or belief that is the source of your passion and inspiration.
An example of my own why, my passion and mission are to build leaders of dignity, abundance mindset, healthy money relationship, courage, intuition, no excuses attitude, integrity, compassion, and creativity. So that my clients pass on the knowledge to their families, team, communities and be that type of leader and role model contributing to the positive and success in the world.
I can’t get to everyone I’d like to – so it’s like building an army of compassionate, savvy, wise, financially strong entrepreneurs and professionals who can pay it forward.
That’s my contribution to the good in the world in the midst of the constant challenges humanity experiences. I then know, by the work I do, families, companies, communities, and the world is impacted in a positive way.
Just like the song intends, Let Peace Begin with Me, let there be good and success in the world and let that begin with me.
Compelling WHY
An intriguing example of a solid, compelling why is the story from Simon’s book, Find Your Why, where this man, who is in upper management for a steel production company based in Sweden, through a discovery process, identifies that it’s not just their steel as lightweight, cost-saving, and efficient material, but it is the impact on the environment that is so far-reaching. He learned in the discovery, by using natural resources (their steel), it is for the benefit of humankind. And, that he contributes to leaving the planet safe and healthy for our children.
That’s a compelling WHY over and above the good product and meeting their sales goals. Begin penning your why thoughts. Start with this formula (which does not have to be perfect).
To ____________ (contribution) so that___________(impact).
To your amazing efforts!
Marla
