What makes a business successful?

Why are we loyal to one product over another, almost identical, one?
How does one burger joint go bankrupt while another becomes the multi-billion dollar hamburglar that is McDonald’s?

It’s all about branding — according to Patrick Hanlon, author of Primal Branding and senior advertising executive for Fortune 500 clients like Pepsi.

“What we call ‘primal branding’ is the ability to make people feel better about your brand than another.”

We’ve read the entire book for you. And in this newsletter, we’ll explain how to use the seven brand messages that make people choose you over someone like you.

A “brand” is a belief system, therefore people must believe in what you do.
Here’s how to do that…

Write down each of these for your business (or business idea)…

1. The Creation Story

2. The Creed

3. The Icons

4. The Rituals

5. The Pagans (Nonbelievers)

6. The Sacred Words

7. The Leader

   
   

The Creation Story

If you want people to do any form of business with you, they have to believe in you. And you can’t ask someone to believe in something that didn’t start somewhere.

Think about it: why is “Where are you from?” one of the first questions we ask a person?

As humans, we have an innate desire to understand how we came to be.

Where your brand comes from is the crucial first step in providing answers as to why people should care about you.

Ex 1: McDonald’s.
In California, 1948, brothers Maurice “Mac” and Richard McDonald revamped the drive-in industry by offering huge quantities of food at low prices, served within a few minutes.

Ex 2: inspired idiots.
We’re just two people who want to live our dream lives — travel to cool places, make a lot of money, be fit, and have an amazing partner to do it all with.
We committed to documenting our pursuit, to help other people who also want that life.
We have no idea what we’re doing, but we take action every day to get one step closer.
That became our mission: to live like an inspired idiot.

Use it: Add your creation story to your website “About” page.

The Creed

This is the singular notion you want people to believe.

Your creed is like your mission statement — it’s your commitment to achieve a particular goal, behave in a certain way, or live by certain values.

Why is this important? Because confused people don’t buy, and won’t advocate for you.

Defining your mission and communicating it to people helps them feel like they know you.

Ex 1: McDonald’s:
“We serve delicious food people feel good about eating, with convenient locations and hours and affordable prices, and by working hard to offer the speed, choice, and personalization our customers expect.”

Ex 2: inspired idiots:
We help other inspired idiots make progress on their goals of being rich, fit, and in love.
You don’t have to know how to build your dream life — start anyway.

Use it: Add your creed to your email signature, website homepage, and/or business cards.

The Icons

What would come to someone’s mind when they think about your brand?

An icon is something a person can see or hear that they’d associate with your brand.
Think Nike’s swoosh, Apple’s start-up “bong” sound, Coke’s bottle, the national anthem, often the company logo.

Take this as an opportunity to look at your logo. Put it in front of you and ask yourself…
“Could someone easily draw my logo?”

If someone could never draw your logo, they probably won’t remember it either.

Ex 1: McDonald’s golden arches and the Ronald McDonald character.

Ex 2: inspired idiots’ “idiot” logo.

Use it: Show your icon in all documents and marketing materials including your website, social media pages, and contracts.

The Rituals

Our daily lives are filled with key ritualistic behaviours. The way you take your coffee, how you shop for groceries, and what you do before bed are all rituals.

Rituals are the repeated interactions that people have with you. They’re the little things you do that make it more pleasant, more engaging, enhanced, simplified, less frustrating, or more fun for your clients.

Do you offer a trial period?
Do you organize monthly check-ins?
Do you have a specific process flow?

Creating rituals for the way you work with people gives them a sense of ease and order, and makes working with you a better experience.

Ex 1: A McDonald’s ritual might be to pair your Big Mac with fries, “Supersize it,” or always save room for a McFlurry.

Ex 2: inspired idiots take action every day toward their business, fitness, and relationships goals. They don’t tell stories about why they’re not where they want to be — they ask questions and are always looking at the next step. They use a community of other inspired idiots to stay accountable.

Use it: Create some kind of ritual in your business that gives clients/partners a consistent experience with you.

The Pagans (Nonbelievers)

Part of saying who you are and what you stand for is also declaring who you are not and what you don’t stand for.

Defining who your pagans are is important to defining who you are.

Once you understand who they are—those who don’t and maybe never will understand you—you open up new opportunities to be who you are and what you can become.

Ex 1:
McDonald’s’s pagans would likely be environmentalists, animal rights activists, vegans, holistic eaters, and those who prefer Burger King.

Ex 2:
inspired idiots’ pagans are people who want to be full-time employees, who mock others’ success, or who scoff at the idea of being rich, fit, and in love.

Use it: Keep this info top of mind when you’re talking with potential clients or creating social media content.

The Sacred Words

Words tell us who we are.
Doctors, lawyers, marketers — we all have our jargon or sacred words that are known within that group.

If you’re a computer user, you know what it means to “crash.”
If you frequent Starbucks, you know what a “grande” is.
If you’re an avid gym-goer, you know what happened if someone “hit a PR.”

Most of the products and services we know today have words dedicated to their process.

If you want a Big Mac instead of a Whopper, you know where you need to be.

Remember that your business is a belief system that you need your customers to believe in. All belief systems come with a set of specialized words that must be learned before people can belong.

Ex 1: Some McDonald’s sacred words are Happy Meal, McFlurry, and Hamburglar.

Ex 2: Some inspired idiots sacred words are Auctus (our accountability group), Do it anyway, Let’s have fun with this, and Rich, fit, and in love.

Use it: Include these words in your social media content, your community, and your website.

The Leader

This one should feel easy for you, the person reading this email. And this is why it’s beneficial to include a stint about yourself on your brand website.

You can quickly find who the leader is on any Fortune 500 company’s website.

Seriously—Google “[any company] leader” and you will find the person’s name and story.

All successful belief systems have a person who leads the way, takes risks, and envisions a better situation for themselves and others.

Ex 1: The McDonald brothers, Mac and Richard, were the original leaders of McDonald’s restaurants. Today, its leader would be President and CEO Chris Kempzinski.

Ex 2: The original two inspired idiots, myself (Kelsey) and Alex, would be the leaders of our brand.

Use it: Include a short bio of yourself on your website “About” page, and as an occasional social media post, so consumers can feel a sense of connection to you.

If you’re committed to the journey of…
being in the best shape of your life
earning more money in better ways, and
having meaningful relationships
join others like you in our community!