About a year ago, I stumbled across minimalism. Interested in the idea of doing more with less, I quickly found a host of great blogs, books and podcasts touting the benefits of clearing clutter, swapping things for experiences and generally bringing greater focus to what brings joy.
While helpful personally, the minimalist “less is more” philosophy is also true in business and an important part of brand purpose. I shared in my last post that authenticity is a pillar of brand purpose: Authenticity builds trust and credibility in the marketplace and allows you to speak from a place of experience and knowledge.
After authenticity comes simplicity. For an organization to thrive, brand purpose should permeate all parts of the organization and be foundational to the decision-making process. This becomes easier when we keep it simple. When defining minimalism, The Minimalist’s say on their blog, “Minimalism simply allows you to make these decisions more consciously, more deliberately.” The same is true with brand purpose.
An authentic, simply-stated brand purpose is a filter for conscious, deliberate action throughout the organization. When kept to only a few words, brand purpose is easier for people to grasp, remember and share. Employees, investors and partners can better understand what drives the company and how they contribute value.
It also brings focus to the most important information. Over time, I’ve learned the art of condensing down information, turning powerpoint decks of information into paragraphs or a year’s worth of company accomplishments into sentences. The same process applies to brand purpose. Compelling brand purpose requires you to prioritize what’s most valuable.
When you bring forth the most important elements of purpose, you unlock a key to motivating employees, delivering a consistent message across channels and driving purposeful decision-making.
In short, less becomes more.
