A Values-Led Brand
Why the best marketing starts with what you care about
Last Wednesday, I found myself in a room full of entrepreneurs from every industry you can imagine—tech, restaurants, retail, creative services. We were supposed to be discussing marketing strategies, reviewing sticky notes from an exercise about our biggest professional challenges and the support we wished we had.
I joined the breakout session planning to learn from the group. Instead, I got fired up.
The Questions That Miss the Point
Everyone kept circling around the same questions that seemed so straightforward to answer:
How do you win the sale?
How do you reach your audience?
How do you incentivize people to buy your product?
I get it. We're all searching for that secret formula that helps us communicate the meaningful aspects of our products and services, hoping for sudden, explosive growth.
But here's the truth: We only need to communicate what we value and the value we bring.
The Simple Framework That Changes Everything
Stop overcomplicating it. Your brand messaging comes down to three clear statements:
We care to work with people who care about _____.
We value _____.
We bring value to _____ with our product/service.
The trick? Trust that somebody out there will say "heck yeah" to every single one of those statements. Or even 90% of them.
Seth Godin's concept of "audience of one" kept running through my mind. You created your product because you care deeply about something. People have bought from you because they value what you bring and what you stand for. Pay attention to those details. Then rinse and repeat.
The Deeper Questions That Actually Matter
Before you chase the next marketing tactic, ask yourself these questions:
Are you doing this to look cool? To be recognized? To gain popularity?
Then what? What happens after you get that recognition?
What are you actually known for? How will you get there? Who will help you?
Peel back the layers and define this more clearly:
What do you value in your customers?
What do you value in the time they spend with you?
What value are you bringing to their lives?
What quality of product or service do you refuse to compromise on?
How does that standard affect everything else you do?
The Bottom Line Impact
These aren't just philosophical questions—these decisions directly influence your bottom line. When you're clear about your values and communicate them consistently, you attract customers who share those values. They become your most loyal advocates, your best referrals, and your strongest revenue source.
Values-led branding isn't about finding clever marketing tricks. It's about having the courage to declare what you stand for and trusting that the right people will find you.
What will you be brave enough to declare?
The entrepreneurs in that room were asking the wrong questions because they were looking for tactics instead of starting with truth. Your values aren't just nice-to-have brand elements—they're your competitive advantage.
Stop searching for the secret formula. Start with what you care about. The marketing will follow.
