Developing and growing a brand, not just your floral product or service, is often one of the hardest parts of being an entrepreneur—especially if marketing doesn't come naturally to you.

And unfortunately, flowers and our trade are a ubiquitous product and service, which means having a strong and clear brand point of view is paramount.

Yes, we all have different design aesthetics and offerings, but when a potential client of yours is deciding between two florists, how can you be sure they chose your proposal over the other?

The answer is simple and complex at the same time. It can best be summed up by author Simon Sinek's Golden Circle rule: "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."  

If you're feeling stuck or lost when defining and communicating your brand's purpose, there are thankfully numerous frameworks and thought-leaders who offer their expertise.

Doing the work upfront and consistently revisiting your brand's purpose will serve as your north star, guiding you through every decision of your business. Here are some helpful frameworks and thought-leaders who can help you bring your own why into focus if you're feeling stuck!

The Golden Circle

"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." - Simon Sinek

Sinek is clearly on to something, as demonstrated by over 55 million views of his TED Talk. He argues that most companies know what they do but often communicate their what or how instead of their why. Great companies with strong brand recognition and adoption uniquely communicate with customers via their why. 

Your why for your floral design work is typically a rooted belief or purpose that is so innate to your brand that it permeates through everything you do. Sinek further defines your Why, What and How through his Golden Circle framework, which is a helpful resource to reference. 

The Golden Circle:

• What: Every organization on the planet knows what they do. These are the products they sell or the services they provide.

• How: Some organizations know how they do what they do. These are the things that make them special or differentiate them from the competition.

• Why: Very few organizations know why they do what they do. Your why is not about making money. That's the result. Your why is a purpose. It's the very reason your brand exists.

For more relatable context, he uses Apple as an example to bring this concept to life. 

• Apple's what: We make computers.

• Apple's how: Our products are beautifully designed and easy to use.

• Apple's why: We believe in challenging the status quo and doing things differently.

A worthwhile exercise is to watch his TED Talk, print out the Golden Circle framework, and try filling out your own why, what, and how framework. Then, post it somewhere you can see it over and over again as a great reminder!

The Five Whys: 

The Five Whys are typically used as a tool to get to the root cause of a challenge or problem, but this method can also be helpful when trying to identify the why behind your business.

Start with a true statement about your product, service, or audience, and then ask yourself why five times. Each time, you are drilling down to a root cause or need that stems from your original starting point. Below is a simplified example of the Five Whys approach.

the 5 Whys approach

Here, we’ll use an example of the Five Whys approach for a problem statement.

Problem statement: The vehicle will not start.

1. Why? – The battery is dead. (This is the first why.)

2. Why? – The alternator is not functioning. (This is the second why.)

3. Why? – The alternator belt has broken. (This is the third why.)

4. Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced. (This is the fourth why.)

5. Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule. (The fifth why—a root cause.)

Now, the above example stems from a problem: a vehicle won’t start. Still, you can also try translating something that motivates your customers (instead of a problem) as a way to deeply understand the unique value you provide them. 

Here, we’ll use an example of the Five Whys approach for a motivation statement for a digital marketing company.

A digital marketing company:

1. Why do you do digital marketing? To help businesses and organizations create excellent content. (The first why.)

2. Why do you want to do that? Because I believe in the companies we work with and want them to grow. (The second why.)

3. Why do you believe in them? Because they each have a mission that needs to be empowered. (The third why.)

4. Why is it important to empower that mission? Because those missions directly improve people's lives, whether that's customers or beneficiaries or another group. (The fourth why.)

5. Why do you want to improve their lives? Because I believe people can be happier when even small parts of their interactions with organizations are improved. (The fifth why—their purpose and belief)

Now have a try! Think about why your product or service exists and ask yourself why 5 times! It's thought-provoking and just may surprise you in the end!

Personify Your Brand 

Has anyone ever asked you what your spirit animal is? Or better yet, what your spirit flower is?

The concept of a spirit animal or flower is to personify your personality and make it relatable.

Another great branding tactic—taught by NYC Marketing Professor Scott Galloway via his online education company, Section4—is to think about your brand as a person. Be descriptive as possible.

Here are a few questions to get you started!

Your Brand as a Person:

• Does your brand have an age?

• What does your brand like or dislike?

• What mood is your brand typically in?

• Does your brand resemble a celebrity or character in some way?

• How does your brand celebrate?

• How does your brand make other people feel?

For example: My brand, Dear Friend, as a person would be that lifelong girlfriend who walks into your house through the backdoor, often unannounced, with a bottle of chardonnay and flowers because she sensed you needed it. 

Personifying your brand helps make it relatable and tangible to your customers and can serve as a great filter when feeling stuck! Professor Galloway's Section4 Brand Sprint is another great resource if you're looking to develop your brand identity and true brand marketing skills. 

Routinely Do a Check-In on Your Brand

These tips, tricks, and methods are only a handful of strategies and thought-leaders who can offer guidance on defining and developing your own brand.

Pro tip: These types of exercises are not one-and-done! Make this a semi-annual or even quarterly exercise to ensure you are living and breathing your the why for your floral design business.

Photography: Design by Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers