The creation of a business always begins with the desire to solve a problem, simplify the life of those around you or bring something to your community.
This sentence that sums up your project, this elevator pitch , will be your Purpose. This may be the desire to introduce the best coffees in Latin America to your city, or to create a carpooling application or even the desire to create furniture with wood from the forests of your region (sustainably managed of course). .
Whatever it is, this Purpose was strong enough to make you want to get started. It will have to be shared to verify its veracity, you will have to listen to your future customers to confirm this need and adapt it if necessary to bring the desired value.
The Purpose of your company will be the starting point for the creation of your Offer. Coffee for some, furniture for others… But you will have to ask yourself questions such as: can the coffee be enjoyed on site? With a croissant? Will the carpooling application also offer bus trips? Insurance? Will the designer of wooden furniture also make high-quality parquet? And as the responses come in, your offer will appear.
Your main offer will be the heart of your business (the sale of coffee from Latin America) and the associated offer will allow you to expand your clientele (the sale of croissants, tea, books, etc.). Together, they make up a Global Offer that will allow you to differentiate yourself from your competitors and create value by perfectly meeting the needs of your customers.
The final element will be your Brand: your logo, your graphic charter, your digital strategy, the tone of your communications or the music in your café. This Brand will allow everyone to recognize who you are, what you sell and above all, it should allow you to be different from your competitors. This identity must be original, simple and impactful.
Your brand will live within your communication plan and will develop thanks to content, advertising, events, press relations… And it will become the center of your notoriety. Do not take these communication tools lightly, they must be carried out with rigor and creativity. Don’t think only of customers, think also of your suppliers, your friends, your family or your employees, because they are also very good ambassadors.
A brand takes time to build, it must always be taken care of and protected so that no one can appropriate it. A well-researched brand can bring real financial value to your business.
In conclusion, the Purpose, the Offer and the Brand will make it possible to structure your project – or to restructure it – to guide your decisions. But the Offer, the Brand and the Purpose should not be seen as three immutable pillars. Admittedly, these three pillars guide your strategy, but they must be adapted to the needs of your customers. What will my customers need in 3 years? What should I put in place to reach new customers? Do I really listen to what my clients tell me?
Note: The notion of a company’s raison d’être was developed in May 2019 through the PACTE law in France. Its purpose is to define a clearer positioning of a company with stakeholders. For reasons of simplification, I have grouped within the term “Raison d’Être” the notions of DNA, vision, mission, etc. Or in English Purpose or Mission Statement.
Cyril Coffin-Eltrich – MAY 24, 2022
