Why you create the things you create is the foundation of your success.
Are you so immersed in the making the thing that you make, that your business revolves around the what and not the why?
Building your business on what limits your choices. If that thing that you make no longer floats your boat or becomes obsolete, all your focus on what you make is lost.
Consider a candle maker who discovers she is allergic to some critical ingredients in her products. (I know nothing about making candles and I certainly don’t mean to suggest any candle ingredients are dangerous. Just bear with me here.) If her focus has been entirely on the candles, the what of her business, she’s in a tough spot. If it’s all about the candles, and the candles are gone, what’s left for the business?
What if she had found a deeper meaning than making candles for her business. Maybe she has a deeper meaning and just hasn’t thought about it. What if she had focused on the calming qualities of her candles? What if her vision for her business is to help people find calm in their busy, stressful days? Her transition to calming scented cachets or lotions would be much easier. Her buyers would see the consistency in her brand of creating calm.
As much as building brand consistency rocks, there’s more.
Building your business on why you do what you do does more than help your business be ready for changes in your products. Building your business on why creates a stronger connection with your buyer and this is the key to success.
As Simon Sinek says in his brilliant book, Start with Why: People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
If that sounds a little lofty and not really practical for day to day sales, consider Sinek’s example. Compare these two possible marketing messages from Apple:
We make great computers.
They’re beautifully designed, simple to use and user-friendly.
Wanna buy one?
Or
Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently.
The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user-friendly.
And we happen to make great computers.
Wanna buy one?
Which one inspires loyalty? Which one cultivates raving fans?
Does your business have a vision? A why? Are you communicating your why to your buyers?
If this post rocks your world, would you please tweet it? xo
Image: WHY Gig Poster by Andy J Miller. Used with permission of the artist. Andy’s Etsy shop and website, Design Koma.
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Profound in its simplicity! I have two loves that are in very different media, yet the commonality is that I make and enjoy making are things that make a woman feel special and pampered, such as spa items and jewelry.
Very insightful. Thanks.
Good advice, thanks for the motivation. Needed today!
Lindsey´s last [type] ..sewing gifts
Thanks for reminding my of the why. I do get focused on the “what”. I think I will review my profile page and consider more the “why” when I write the description of what I am displaying. There is a reason we decide to make a certain thing and that is what we need to communicate.
I am so happy I found your blog. Just last night, I printed up your Business Plan-o-Rama and have started outlining my goals. Thank you for being such a great resource.
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