I'd like to introduce you all to a company that has done the right things to build a strong brand. They are called Skeet and Ike's Organics, and are manufacturers and distributors of organic foods.
Among other things, here are some reasons why their brand is so strong...
1) Great Products. I know we have said many times that, in order to succeed in business today, you must provide quality products, but Skeet and Ike's products are exceptional.
2) The story of Ike. Ike was the dog of one of the partners and his story, which is found on the website, will move anybody...I laughed and cried learning about him, and felt a real emotional connection.
3) They have earned a strong reputation and built tremendous goodwill. When Willie and I participated in Team H2V, the cycle across Canada to benefit Type I Diabetes, Skeet and Ike's supplied all 25 of us with enough delicious snacks to last the entire trip...they shipped the skids to Halifax, NS...no questions asked...no problem.
4) They have a sincere goal to achieve a Zero Carbon Footprint and are taking every possible step to succeed at it. This company has proven that, to be successful in business does not mean that you can't consider and respect the environment.
As previously mentioned, these are only some of the ways Skeet and Ike's has built their strong brand, but they are the ones that stand out the most for me.
Ask yourself, do our products exceed expectations? Have we shared our story? Are we charitable? Are we trying to make a difference in the world?
If the answer to any is "no", then turn it into a yes...your brand will be all the better for it.
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
What's your Vision?
I recently attended a workshop about the process of Strategic Planning. The process begins with the creation or review of the Vision / Mission / Values statement.
By basic definition a company's vision is what they aspire to become - the desired future state of the business. People often confuse a company's vision with it's mission, but while the vision is a "big picture" statement, the mission outlines why an organization exists, its specific tasks or goals.
Today I want to talk about Vision. Your Vision is the foundation of your brand. It also provides your staff with a sense of purpose and the promise of a future.
If you don't have a clear vision, you can create one by answering a few questions.
Ask yourself where do I want this company to be in 15 years? What impact will we have had on the world? What does a typical day in my company look like in 15 years?
Don't just ask yourself these questions, ask everybody with a voice inside your business. Once you have the answers, your vision will come from the common theme (don't worry, there will be one).
There are really two types of Vision Statements - the self fulfilling, or the impact statement. Neither is wrong, but I'm a big fan of impact statements. I believe it is more inspiring to have a vision that states the effect you want to have on the world.
The company I grew up in had a self fulfilling vision - "To be the dominant supplier in the industry" (not an exact replica, but you get the idea). Our company manufactured insulated wall panels used to construct Refrigerated Warehouses and Food Processing Plants. Now, 15 years later, I wish that our team had created a vision that stated "Food chilled or processed within one of our facilities on every plate in North America, every meal of the day". The latter statement is a more specific description of our desired future state, and gets me a lot more jazzed than the former.
If you don't already have a strong vision statement that clearly outlines your desired future state, drop everything and create one. You will be amazed by the difference in your people once they know where the ship is headed.
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By basic definition a company's vision is what they aspire to become - the desired future state of the business. People often confuse a company's vision with it's mission, but while the vision is a "big picture" statement, the mission outlines why an organization exists, its specific tasks or goals.
Today I want to talk about Vision. Your Vision is the foundation of your brand. It also provides your staff with a sense of purpose and the promise of a future.
If you don't have a clear vision, you can create one by answering a few questions.
Ask yourself where do I want this company to be in 15 years? What impact will we have had on the world? What does a typical day in my company look like in 15 years?
Don't just ask yourself these questions, ask everybody with a voice inside your business. Once you have the answers, your vision will come from the common theme (don't worry, there will be one).
There are really two types of Vision Statements - the self fulfilling, or the impact statement. Neither is wrong, but I'm a big fan of impact statements. I believe it is more inspiring to have a vision that states the effect you want to have on the world.
The company I grew up in had a self fulfilling vision - "To be the dominant supplier in the industry" (not an exact replica, but you get the idea). Our company manufactured insulated wall panels used to construct Refrigerated Warehouses and Food Processing Plants. Now, 15 years later, I wish that our team had created a vision that stated "Food chilled or processed within one of our facilities on every plate in North America, every meal of the day". The latter statement is a more specific description of our desired future state, and gets me a lot more jazzed than the former.
If you don't already have a strong vision statement that clearly outlines your desired future state, drop everything and create one. You will be amazed by the difference in your people once they know where the ship is headed.
Digg it
Stumble it
Del.icio.us
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