Simon Sinek’s bestselling book ‘Start with Why’,  has as its core premise that, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy Why you do it.” Mr. Sinek explains that one thing extremely successful businesses have in common is that they have a very clearly defined Why which drives every single decision. He uses examples of stellar companies we all know, including Apple, Southwest Airlines, Harley Davidson, and others to drive this point home.  It’s their Why that makes them so successful and an inspiration to their employees and customers.  It’s their Why that makes consumers loyal to their brand.

Starting with the Why or reason for being is the reverse of what most companies typically do. Most companies are launched based on What they do. According to Sinek, for companies to generate customer loyalty and truly create an inspirational brand, they need to define Why they are in business.  Once they have a clearly articulated Why, or mission, they can then figure out How they will accomplish this mission. Their What then becomes the tangible way consumers interact with them by their products or services. This Golden Circle of execution: Why>How>What, is the key. It makes so much sense.

Have you ever had an experience with a personal services provider that was so lacking that you left wondering why they were even in a service-oriented business at all? I’ve had a few of those and it really frustrates me because when I invest in a personal care service, it is usually for self-care. I feel a bit violated by sub-par services because it is not just about the waste of money but the missed opportunity for me to take care of myself. Personal care services are supposed to be, well, personal!

As entrepreneurs, service providers, coaches, or solopreneurs, we must start with our Why and get clear about how it translates into every aspect of the customer experience.  This is getting to the crux of building your personal brand.

I want to share three points from “Start With Why” which are relevant to cultivating amazing customer experiences that generate loyalty and that help us build stellar personal brands.

• First, most businesses start with what they do, move to how they do it, and then consider why they do it. This outside/ in approach is wrong according to Sinek. We need to define our Why at the outset. Why do we get up in the morning? Why should our clients/customers care? Getting clear on the Why is how we begin to articulate our brand value. While our What’s provide tangible proof of our Why, the Why must come first as it sets the context for everything else.  Once our Why is defined, we can properly execute our How’s and What’s.

“..WHY is just a belief, HOWs are the actions we take to realize that belief, and WHATs are the results of those actions. When all three are in balance, trust is built and value is perceived.” Simon Sinek

• Another hidden secret in having a clear vision of your Why is that it becomes your point of differentiation. Why Masseuse A is in business versus Masseuse B should be different. How either one delivers on his/her Why likely will be different as well. However, the actual service, in this case a massage, is pretty much the same (unless of course, your masseuse is just plain bad at what she does!). Most products and services these days are varying levels of commodities. Since we can’t differentiate much on the tangible, we have to differentiate on the intangible—the customer experience, the How and the Why.

“Differentiation happens in WHY and HOW you do (what you do). The Golden Circle provides a way to communicate consistently with how individuals receive information. For this reason, an organization must be clear about its purpose, cause, or belief and make sure that everything they say and do is consistent with and authentic to that belief. If the levels of The Golden Circle are in balance, all those who share the organization’s view of the world will be drawn to it and its products like a moth to a light bulb.” Simon Sinek

• As a service business especially, it is especially important that our clients/customers see us as authentic. According to Sinek, authenticity cannot be achieved without a clear understanding of our WHY. I believe this is because we cannot operate in our brilliance if we are chasing someone else’s dream or trying to copy someone else’s vision. Our Why is entirely our own because the way we live out that Why becomes deeply personal and motivational. It is our very heartbeat, our imprint. This is at the heart of personal branding, isn’t it? And since we know that personal branding is SO personal yet extremely effective in differentiation,  defining our Why is just another fancy way of communicating the importance of getting clear on our brand narrative.

”The WHY does not come from looking ahead at what you want to achieve and figuring out an appropriate strategy to get there. It is not born out of any market research. The Why does not come from extensive interviews with customers or even employees. It comes from looking in the opposite direction from where you are now. Finding WHY is a process of discovery, not invention.” Simon Sinek

As entrepreneurs or coaches in service-related businesses, finding our Why is akin to discovering our unique brand blueprint.  As you can see, it is about defining your mission so precisely that it is undeniable the positive impact you want your services to have on prospective customers or clients. Without a compelling Why, your customers and clients may experience a sub-par experience. And I am pretty sure you don’t wish that upon them.

Want to understand more how you can define your Why? Book a Discovery Session with me to discover how I can help you craft a compelling mission statement or personal brand identity.