One of the best things I have ever done is to create a brand manifesto because it has become the linchpin of my business and influences everything we do, and how we do it.
A brand Manifesto might sound a bit fancy, but it’s really just a statement that expresses your beliefs and values as a business; it’s what you tell people about you so they can easily understand what you do. And, it’s not just for businesses or brands, if you are a freelancer you can have a brand manifesto too.
I believe it’s something few salons do but I strongly feel everyone should have one. it’s a big opportunity to help develop and grow your business – after all if you don’t really understand why you are in business, how do you expect your team, clients and potential customers to?
It takes time to create a brand manifesto, so don’t rush it. When we did ours, there was a lot of thinking time to really refine it down, and I also got other people involved too – from clients to the team, and other creatives and experts I work with on a regular basis.
To get started and create yours I suggest taking time out to brainstorm it – you can do this by yourself but if you’ve got a team it’s great to get them involved too – after all this will be a shared manifesto.
Start with the why
The first question I suggest starting with is why? Why do you do what you do, why are you in business? I really like Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk on ‘Start with the Why’ because it’s a great insight into why we need to question and understand the reasons behind why our business exists.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Why do you do what you do?
- What do you believe in?
- What are your values, whites important to you in life?
- How do you improve the lives of your clients?
- How do you want your clients and yourself to feel when you’ve finished their service?
- If your brand was a person and you met at a party, what would it be like?
Once you have brainstormed these, start to pull together common themes and ideas. You are looking to inspire so focus on areas that will spark excitement and bring everything to life.
The fowler35 Brand Manifesto
“There’s no greater feeling than making someone feel wonderful. How we look plays a big part in how we feel, which is why we believe great hair matters. We’re here to transform beauty inside and out by developing a natural understanding. It creates something and that ‘anything is possible’ attitude – “my hair looks amazing and so do I” It’s a huge privilege to empower and befriend ur clients, which is why we continue to further our artistry, staying ahead of the latest trends and are always looking for new ways to innovate”
Our Why is simply “because great hair matters”. It’s a clear and unambiguous statement. We’ve also weaved in our ‘why reasons as stylists – because “there’s no greater feeling than making someone feel wonderful”. The other parts of the manifesto ensure that we are committed to our craft and the betterment of our skills through education and curiosity.
What to do with it
Once you have your brand manifesto it’s time to implement it into your business and share it!
Here are some ideas how:
- Introduce it at a team meeting and use it as a regular check-in point with your team to see if everyone is living and breathing the manifesto
- Put it on your website as a public declaration of who you are and what you do
- Display it in your Salon – we have it on our walls so it’s a constant reminder to our clients and team what we do and why we do it
- Use it as inspiration for your marketing strategies and plans
- Include it in your business strategy
- Use it as the basis to create your brand identity – your logo, the way your salon looks and feels, the way the team talk to and interact with your clients
So why do you need one again?
- It helps you clarify what your business is, and why you are in business
- it defines your beliefs, values and vision into a succinct message that is relevant to your clients
- your manifesto becomes the blueprint for everything you do and influences the decisions you make. your brand manifesto is your elevator pitch.
Finally, and I know this sounds obvious, but if you are a salon owner I would recommend that whatever you do, make sure your business manifesto aligns with your personal values. if it doesn’t it will be a struggle to run your business in a way that is true to what you want out of life. If you would like to know more about this topic or want to know more about salon business, sign up to our business mogul membership and skyrocket your business today.