Core values are the principles and beliefs upon which you make business and life decisions. A common mistake is to confuse core values with goals. Goals are more about an outcome in the future whereas core values are behaviours and attitudes that govern who you are today — they define your character.

Think of your core values as the constitution for your company — a set of principles upon which you will create 100% your policies and govern the operations.

The 10 Rules:

1. Answer the question “What pisses you off?” – the things that anger us are great clues to what we value.
2. Answer the question “What do I believe in or what inspires me”. Think of the things you admire in yourself or others and define those qualities. Think of examples of behaviours and stories that illustrate.
3. Just because you don’t do something consistently doesn’t mean it’s not core to you. Another great clue to a core value is if you feel a sense of guilt or discomfort when you don’t uphold that value. It’s why confession exists in the Catholic church.
4. Core values are non-competitive which means it doesn’t matter one bit if another company has the exact same core value as you — even if it’s your biggest competitor. If it’s authentic and core to you, that’s all that matters.
5. You can have as few as one core value but try to keep the total to under 5 or 6. If you have more than that, chances are that they are not all core.
6. There is no such thing as a right or wrong core value — it is what it is. The only thing that matters is that it is authentic.
7. The company leadership must FULLY embody and live the core values both personally and professionally otherwise nobody else will.
8. Avoid corporate-speak and platitudes and keep it real. Say it the way you want to say it. For example, instead of default standard terms like integrity or honesty, try expressions like, “promises matter deeply” or “be real” and “give a damn” or “speak the truth”. Make them authentic.
9. Ask if you’d be willing to fire someone for violating the core values — even if they were your top salesperson, most talented programmer, etc. If not, then it’s probably not a core value.
10. It has been said that a value is not a core value unless you are willing to stand behind it with your reputation and your wallet. That means you’d be willing to give up opportunities that violate your core values – regardless of how lucrative it may be. Core values make it easier for you to do the right thing. They are non-negotiable.

The post 10 Simple rules for discovering & articulating your company core values appeared first on WOW Branding.

We boil it down to three simple basics:
1. Start with a genuine purpose (other than to just make money).
2. Get specific about who will buy (who are they, really?).
3. Be truthful, courageous and consistent when you go to market (lose the hyperbole and ‘marketing speak’).

To illustrate this point, let’s talk about one of the most saturated markets on the planet: coffee. Vancouver-based Ethical Bean delivers its promise boldly, starting with its name right through to its charitable work on a local and global scale. In this case, the company is born from its desire to make a difference in the world of coffee. From freeing farmers of harmful pesticides to leaving a minimal impact on the environment, Ethical Bean is about much more than taste, roasting or the latest flavour shot. As a result of their ethical cause, they capture the hearts of coffee drinkers who actually care about what they put in their bodies, where things come from and how it all impacts their planet. Furthermore, Ethical Bean expresses themselves by speaking the truth. It’s not just marketing speak that no one can remember or care about. Their Tagline “Just. Better” is a promise. A promise by which the company behaves, makes difficult decisions and chooses to live by—every day.

There are many other, bigger companies with far deeper pockets like Starbucks offering ethical, organic and environmentally friendly products. What makes Ethical Bean stand out is that they have started with a genuine purpose, chosen a specific audience and are delivering on their promise with every package, bean and QR code. They are doing it better because they are being bolder about their beliefs and backing up their claims with real actions. As customers, we have no reason not to believe them. No reason to think it’s (yet another) green-washing parade.

Ethical Bean is a product that has, and will, continue to disrupt people’s choices and attract like-minded people. We give them an A+ on being a brave brand.

If this article piqued your curiosity, you may also be interested in reading…
Blue Ocean Strategy
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
Winning Without Pitching by Blair Enns

Or just speak to us!

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1- The CEO or leadership team is not involved

Too often, we see the rebranding efforts beginning in the marketing department instead of with the CEO. Branding is a CEO-level initiative because it deals with the fundamental definition and expression of the business. The brand consultant is the worst person to deliver the brand to the organization. It can ONLY be delivered by the CEO as an expression of their vision for the organization’s future

2- There is no budget allocated

Not having a budget for the rebrand usually means that the project has not been taken seriously yet. Yes, there will be strategy and design fees, but the bigger costs come in the implementation and execution. How tragic it is to go through all the work and then to find out that there is no money to execute properly.

3- There is no internal ‘point person’ to drive the rebranding implementation from the inside

Most brand consultants and designers are wonderful people but they cannot successfully govern the intricacies and politics of their organization alone. Either the CEO or someone closely linked and authorized by the CEO must drive the process for it to be taken seriously.

4- There is no visual evidence of change

If you’re going to go through the effort of rebranding then it must be as conspicuous as possible. The brand does not exist in the words of a policy manual (of course you do need one of those too). It must exist where people will notice and feel it. New paint, new logo, rearranging furniture, new signage and a host of other tangible changes let people know that the rebrand is real and alive.

5- Not having a roll-out plan

When will the rebrand be complete? How and when will we tell our staff? How and when will we tell our customers and clients? How will we tell the public? If these questions are not answered from the beginning then all kinds of hell can break loose. If the roll-out needs to happen over time then that must be communicated clearly to all involved. Having a plan and somebody accountable for executing it will give all stakeholders comfort that the rebranding efforts will stick and be meaningful.

6- Not enforcing the company values

If the hiring, firing and overall operations are not rooted in the company’s core values then it is unlikely that anyone inside will take it seriously. The values must be openly displayed for everyone to see (not just in the employee welcome handbook). It is not uncommon for some people to quit once the company’s values have clearly been articulated—in reality, these people should have been gone a long time ago—they just still happen to be drawing a paycheck. The best companies make a big deal about their values and look for those traits and evidence in the people that work for them. Remember that it is your people that deliver the brand experience of your company and that experience, if it is to be consistent, must be based on the core values of your organization.

The post 6 Surefire Ways to Make Sure Your Rebrand Fails appeared first on WOW Branding.

When we get started in our careers, few of us are fortunate to know our purpose, so instead, we are driven by a lifestyle. To travel the world. A red sports car. A white picket fence. And so, we set out into the world to create the world we envision living. We choose an educational path. We apply for jobs. We work hard. We get promoted. Some of us are even brave enough to set up our own companies. But, as we climb Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we inevitably get to the point where we want self-fulfillment from our work.

A desire to inspire people. To give back. To be remembered for something great. And that need, whatever it is, just won’t shut up.

In essence, it’s our own purpose that we seek. Why are we here on this planet? Why do we work other than to make money? What drives us day after day? What is it about work that inspires you? Inspires others? Fills us with energy and passion?

Have you heard of Tom’s?

It’s just a simple shoe company selling canvas flats. They’re no Jimmy Choos, that’s for sure. But, they sure are creating one hell of a movement! And it all started with the intention to help children around the world. Tom’s ‘one for one’ policy assures that for every one pair of shoes purchased, a pair of shoes is provided to a child in need. In this case, Tom’s has created global success in the fashion industry by focusing on selling their purpose.

Without question, there are many successful and hugely profitable companies without a purpose other than to make money. But would they be missed if they were gone tomorrow? For those of you who know your purpose is bound for greatness, our world is starving for more inspirational stories like Tom’s. How can you turn your business into a cause?

The post Start with a genuine purpose appeared first on WOW Branding.

…on purpose this time

1. We’re always competing on price – our customers are not understanding what makes us different and better.
2. Our vision of the future is not crystal clear to our employees – even I get a bit foggy on it at times. I wish my employees would just “get it.” We need to focus.
3. We are having difficulty retaining and attracting the best people.
4. Our product/service brands have grown without much of a plan and now our brand architecture (the relationship between our company brand and its product/service brands) doesn’t make sense any more—it’s too inconsistent. A messed up brand architecture can get even uglier when mergers and acquisitions are involved.
5. If we could just let people know the authentic truth about us and our industry, we could easily become the leaders of our category.

The post The top 5 frustrations of a CEO appeared first on WOW Branding.

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BRAND GATES
At WOW Branding we offer a variety of services as a part of launching a new brand or revitalizing an existing one. Our services are incorporated in the Branding Gates Process which helps companies answer the fundamental questions that every company inquires about.

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NAMING WORKSHEET
Names are made great, they don’t start out that way. It’s essential to start with developing and understanding the strategy behind your brand. A strategy will help you decide what is a great name for your business. Once the strategy is established, we collaborate in workshop using this worksheet.

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NAMING CRITERIA EVALUATION SHEET
Once we have brainstormed a bounty of names, they each must pass WOW’s rigorous criteria test.

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The top 5 benefits of rebranding

1. You will have a platform to establish a leadership position in your category and more importantly create alignment inside your company. It’s another chance to get things right.
2. Your vision, purpose and core values get reflected into your new brand identity that you and your team are immensely proud of.
3. You will attract the right talent to your company.
4. Your brand architecture (the relationship between your company, divisions, product/service categories and products/services) is planned out so it makes sense now and in the future.
5. You get a brand standards guide to make sure your brand is consistent across all forms of communication – a key ingredient to managing a strong brand.

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