The Secret Sauce

OK, so you’ve found your new brand position and tag line. You’ve taken the time to discuss it with your key stakeholders and get their buy-in. Now what? Well my friends, now comes the FUN part!

The first thing you’re going to need to write is your brand manifesto. In a short paragraph what does your company stand for? Why do you exist? It will need to be no more than 200 words. It needs to be clear, it needs to be concise, and when you read it out loud it needs to grab you in the gut and create an emotional response. The reason that writing a manifesto is critical is that it will help you to synthesize your thoughts and thinking about the position. It will become the document you go back to every time you are ready to create a new piece of advertising.

Please note: the manifesto should be intended only for internal audiences; however, selectively it might be able to be used externally as well. Write this for you and your team – no one else.

Ready for an example? Well, despite my caution about external use of a manifesto above, here is the manifesto for Paradux Media Group, as an example.

At Paradux Media Group, we’re fed up with the notion that you have to spend a lot to get a lot in marketing. We’re tired of seeing cookie-cutter and number-based solutions applied uniformly to a variety of clients with different businesses, needs, wants, and desires. We know marketing and advertising is first an art, then a science. We practice our art everyday and measure our effectiveness with science and business results. We’re for the local-business owner that cares about their community. We’re for listening to the business’ needs and using out of the box, social media, guerrilla tactics, and traditional advertising to realize help them realize their dreams. We believe that a powerful and quality brand should be available to everyone – regardless of their budget.

As you can see, the manifesto doesn’t mince words. It doesn’t take the politically correct view of the world. And it certainly doesn’t use long sentences or look good framed on the wall. It’s the magic ingredient that makes your business, your business, and no one else’s. It’s your secret sauce.

So what is your secret sauce?