That headline came from Simon Sinek in his Ted Talk “How great leaders inspire action.” It’s a brilliant discussion of why some companies lead in the marketplace and it all starts with the “why” — what’s your purpose, cause, or belief? Why does your organization exist? And not just to make money, that’s an outcome. Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Why should anyone care?
Sinek says that most companies tell you what they do and how they do it but very rarely tell you why. For instance, we all know Apple makes computers. If Apple were like everyone else, they would say: “We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. Want to buy one?” Here’s how Apple actually communicates: “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. We make great computers. Want to buy one?”
This approach has great implications for marketers as we build and communicate brands. Instead of talking about what you do and how you do it, talk about what you believe. This requires communicating from the inside out, so you need to be able answer those “why” questions. Sinek says people do business with those who believe what they believe. Or put another way: sell to people who believe what you believe as a way to create loyal customers.
Here’s the Ted Talk to inspire you!
Identify the “why” of your business and start including that in your marketing messages. Have you noticed a difference? Let us know what you find.
