How to be in the business of good business

‘Since we're capable of leaving a trace in this world, let it at least be a beautiful one.’

I will be the first to admit that the ‘P’ word has become a bit of a buzzword of late. You can barely read an article, watch a video, read an interview or tune into a podcast without the word purpose being thrust upon you. It actually saddens me that the true impactful meaning of this word is being watered down and used by some as a marketing ploy. However, if done well and you are genuinely in the business of good business then these tips will help you to navigate this purposeful entrepreneurial journey honourably and with true impact.

My top tips for creating a purpose-centric brand:

01 | Create the right foundations from the start

Consider these essential elements the essence from which your brand will be built. Creating an unwavering map driving you towards your goal as a business without uncertainty and with confidence. If you have no idea where to start, begin by creating your values, your vision statement & your mission statement. For extra help with curating these here is ourBrand Plan Workbook and a blog post on crafting your vision and mission.

02 | Plant your values into your DNA

Before Puraest was a business, I sat down and wrote out my values - who we were, the imaginary clients I wanted us to help and the meaningful work I wanted us to be doing. By doing this exercise from day one, this value system was infused into every fibre of my business and informed every decision I have made. I will admit that sticking to my values has meant that ‘success’ has taken a little longer but to me, success is being able to do the work that is truly fulfilling. Sometimes the long game is the most rewarding.

03 | Curate a credibility list

To keep you on the straight and narrow it helps to create a list to ensure that every action you take and every person you work with aligns with your values set. I have a list of non-negotiables when working with a client because I need to know there is real synergy there. Are they passionate about what they do? Are they doing it for the right reasons? What is their vision? What are they seeking to create and does it make the world a better place in one way or more? So I have both questions I need to ask myself and a list of credentials that ensure we are the right fit to create meaningful brand magic together.

04 | Learn to say ‘no’

With your credibility list in hand, this part is honestly one of the hardest, most liberating and most rewarding actions to take for the benefit of your business. As a society, the word ‘no’ has almost become taboo - it is associated with rejection, with confrontation. Learning to say no however has been one of the biggest blessings for me and my brand. By saying no to something that does not align with you and your business, you are opening yourself up to opportunities that are and will accelerate you towards your goal and reason for being.

05 | Communicate openly & honestly

‘Conscious consumerism’ is the way of the world. We have accepted that humankind will never stop consuming goods and services, therefore consumers are trying to at least consume with more intention. It is hard to do that however if the brands we have the potential to connect with aren’t being transparent about their supply chains, their processes and the behind the scenes of their business. The more openly you share this, the more likely people are to connect with your brand and feel an affinity for it. We all need to be creating ‘superfans’ of our brand and communicating honestly is a sure fire way to do this.

06 | Practice what you preach

We all know the saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ and nowhere is this truer than in the quest of being a ‘Good Business’. If you are a conscious brand and are encouraging your audience to embrace a certain way of living, make sure you are doing the same. I haven’t spoken about this much yet but I am in the process of creating my own considered clothing label. So, from the very first day of deciding I was going to be creating this business, I took a long hard look at my own buying decisions. Although I have always been mindful about what I consume, I knew I could do better and therefore decided to exclusively shop sustainably, as well as meticulously questioning and researching before every single purchase. I also did a complete audit of my lifestyle and how I could leave less of a trace in my day to day.

07 | Start small

The creation of a meaningful business and life can be an overwhelming one. Remember that small, incremental action is far better than attempting everything all at once and burning out. Your actions as a brand are what truly counts. We all understand that change won’t happen overnight, so we simply need to take small, considered steps towards our goal. Don’t be scared to share the action you are taking in the present but also the action you are striving towards as a business for the future. Is there a certain initiative you are striving to work with (e.g. it was an aim of mine from day one of Puraest to align myself with 1% for the Planet and by taking the necessary steps towards that goal I was able to achieve that). As Mother Theresa so aptly said, ‘If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at the one, I will’.

08 | Share compelling stories

To put it simply stories stick. Sharing your experiences, founder stories and brand essence stories will forever win over product focus. The more you share heartful stories, the more your audience will connect with those stories and want to share them with the world on your behalf - and word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools for any brand. Ask yourself what are the stories you can be telling that your audience will resonate with? And how can you effectively share them? Consider the ways you can put more human and soul into your brand.

09 | Know your audience

Having your audience in the forefront of your mind with help ensure you are making the right choices on their behalf. By putting yourself in their shoes will ensure your offering and the way you communicate with them is not only consistent but also meaningful. Sometimes I believe that having a clear target audience is not enough and what is more powerful and effective is creating a client avatar. By creating a specific person and outlining all of their habits, wants and desires you are able to envisage them as if they are real. This establishes a centrepiece for all of your communications and actions as you are able to ask yourself ‘what would help Eliza?’. If you need help creating your own client avatar there is a section dedicated to this in our Brand Plan Workbook.

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