Note:  As part of this series, I offer market examples to illustrate each concept.  Some are fairly extensive, so I’ve chosen to exceed the four-minute mark in favor of quality (hopefully).  After all, they reinforce my points, and I like credibility.

Much of the work I’ve been doing for a tech startup lately revolves around brand development.  Branding is obviously important in just about any industry, but companies in a space as crowded as SaaS should really make this a priority.  Simply head to G2 and search by category—any category—and you’ll see why differentiation in a sea of software competitors is so important.

With this being top of mind, I figured now’s a good time to talk about some of the same concepts I’ve been kicking around with my client.  I’ve packaged them into a three-part series to make things manageable.  The collective guide offers a topline overview of common brand elements companies across industries use to shape market perceptions of their businesses.

A couple caveats to keep in mind:

• I emphasize “topline overview” since entire books have been written on this topic (not to mention topics within this topic). Consider this a starting point from which you can branch out as you see fit for your needs.
• Not all of these elements will be necessary. Depending on your field, lifecycle stage, product mix, etc., you may not have to jump down each of these rabbit holes (which they can easily become once you roll up your sleeves).
• Other gurus out there may disagree with certain definitions or examples. Well, they’re wrong.  I’m kidding, I’m kidding.  Marketing in general has always been part art and part science, with concepts like these ripe for debate.  That’s a good thing.  It makes us all better.

With that out of the way, let’s get to it.  I’ve broken down 13 common brand elements into three main categories.  Overlaps certainly exist, but in my experience there are nuances that lead to natural groupings around central themes:

• Business: mission, vision, values
• Marketing: boilerplate, voice + tone, essence, mantra, archetype, manifesto
• Sales: value proposition, unique selling proposition, positioning, elevator pitch

We’ll cover the business pieces here.  Part 2 will look at marketing-oriented elements.  Part 3 will then finish with items you want to nail to close the sale.  Each contains a description and a handful of examples to bring the concept to life.  The examples may or may not be current since brand strategy can change over time, but I believe they do a nice job demonstrating each area.

Now, let’s learn.  The three elements within the business category form the foundation for everything that is your company, from what you offer to whom you hire to how you operate.  This extends to your branding, which they inform at the most fundamental level.

Mission

Your mission is your “why,” or the overarching reason behind your business.  In fact, it’s sometimes referred to as your “purpose” because of this.  It may include some or all of the following:  why you exist, whom you serve, how you deliver, and what makes you valuable.

In essence, a company’s mission statement serves as its guiding light.  It influences everything from strategy to operations to sales to brand marketing and beyond.  A mission provides a common goal to work toward and should feature the following characteristics:

• Clear: Easily memorable and without vague, fluffy, or jargony language.
• Concise: Long enough to aptly convey your message and no longer (this can range widely).
• Distinguishable: Differentiates you well in the market.
• Inspirational: Powerful for customers, motivational for employees, attainable by all.

Mission Statement Examples

• TED: Spread ideas.
• Google: To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
• Amazon: Our mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company.  This is what unites Amazonians across teams and geographies as we are all striving to delight our customers and make their lives easier, one innovative product, service, and idea at a time.

Vision

Your vision, or vision statement, is the fulfilment of your mission.  It’s what your company and/or the broader world will look like if you achieve your core objective.  It captures where you want to go and what you want to accomplish.  Your brand as a key vehicle in helping you get there must then reflect this.

Some companies intermix their vision and mission, having one or the other instead of both.  That’s fine, but if you’re going by the letter of the branding law, then the above description is the way you want to think about it.

Vision Statement Examples

• Microsoft: A microcomputer on every desk and in every home running Microsoft software.
• Southwest: To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.
• Habitat for Humanity: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Values

A company may or may not choose to codify its values, a.k.a. pillars or principles.  If it does, those values can serve more than one purpose:

• Help define your culture (e.g., transparent, service-oriented, etc.)
• Inspire your product / service / solution (e.g., creativity, simplicity, etc.)
• Indicate broader causes you support (e.g., environment, education, etc.)

In effect, values are guidelines for conducting your business within your walls and out in the marketplace.  They’re how you interact and what you hold dear, making them innately tied your brand.

Company Values Examples

• Samsung
  • People: Quite simply, a company is its people.  At Samsung, we’re dedicated to giving our people a wealth of opportunities to reach their full potential.
  • Excellence: Everything we do at Samsung is driven by an unyielding passion for excellence and an unfaltering commitment to develop the best products and services on the market.
  • Change: As we have done since our foundation, we set our sights on the future, anticipating market needs and demands so we can steer our company toward long-term success.
  • Integrity: Operating in an ethical way is the foundation of our business.  Everything we do is guided by a moral compass that ensures fairness, respect for all stakeholders, and complete transparency.
  • Co-prosperity: Samsung is committed to becoming a socially and environmentally responsible corporate citizen in all of its communities worldwide.
• McKinsey & Company
  • Adhere to the highest professional standards.
  • Put client interests ahead of our firm’s.
  • Maintain high standards and conditions for client service.
  • Observe high ethical standards.
  • Preserve client confidences.
  • Maintain an independent perspective.
  • Manage client and firm resources cost-effectively.
• Salesforce
  • Trust: We act as trusted advisors.
  • Customer Success: When our customers succeed, we succeed.
  • Innovation: We innovate together.
  • Equality: Everyone deserves equal opportunities.
  • Sustainability: We lead boldly to address the climate emergency.

When people think of “branding,” few would likely include any of the above items.  Most would probably defer to things like monochromatic swooshes or catchy slogans like “Think different.”  Those certainly count, but they’re merely the tip of a very long spear.  Part 2 will take a closer look at other parts of this spear that combine to further solidify its strength, and thus who you are to the outside world.

Go to Part 2.