Fashion brand example

Imagine a small fashion label whose purpose is to help people express their values through their everyday clothing choices. This purpose is rooted in the belief that what we wear should reflect what we stand for.

The brand’s core offering might be a line of minimalist jackets made in small batches, using traceable, natural fibres from regenerative farms.

The features are clear: organic wool, low-impact dyes, hand-finished tailoring, and transparent production.

The real benefit lies in how customers feel when they wear the product. They are not just putting on a jacket, they are communicating their ethics. They are showing the world they care about sustainability and craft. That emotional alignment creates loyalty, turns buyers into advocates, and positions the brand not as a fashion label, but as a lifestyle choice with depth.

Artist example

Consider an artist whose purpose is to help people preserve meaningful memories through custom visual storytelling.

Their core offering are personalised, mixed-media portraits that incorporate clients’ family photographs, personal artefacts, or handwritten letters.

The technical features include high-resolution scanning, layering techniques, and archival-grade materials. But that is only the craft.

The benefit is emotional: the client sees their story honoured and elevated. It helps them remember, share, or even process loss. One client may hang the artwork in their home as a symbol of family legacy, another might commission a piece as a gift to commemorate a milestone.

The artist is not just delivering a canvas, they are giving people a sense of connection, identity, and belonging.

Business coach example

Picture a business coach whose purpose is to empower underrepresented entrepreneurs to take ownership of their success.

Their core offering might be a 12-week guided programme combining business strategy with mindset coaching.

Features include structured weekly sessions, downloadable templates, one-to-one mentoring, and a private support group.

But the benefit is in the transformation that takes place. Clients begin the programme unsure of their business model or hesitant to make decisions.

By the end, they gain not just a clearer business direction but a shift in self-perception. They learn to articulate their worth, set boundaries, and take action confidently. The programme does not sell templates, it sells clarity, empowerment, and forward momentum. This distinction between structure and transformation is what elevates a coaching offer from transactional to purposeful.

Tech founder example

Now consider a tech startup whose purpose is to humanise remote work by helping distributed teams build trust and emotional awareness.

The core offering might be a digital platform that integrates project management tools with real-time mood tracking and psychological safety features.

The features are practical: shared dashboards, asynchronous feedback tools, in-app journaling, and anonymous pulse surveys.

But the benefit is cultural. Users feel more connected to their colleagues. Managers become more attuned to team dynamics. The product creates an environment where people feel safe to be themselves even when working apart. One client might use the platform to improve team cohesion during rapid scaling; another might adopt it to support mental health in a fully remote team. The founder is not just selling software, they are offering a new kind of working culture rooted in empathy.

force-majeure-a5-_X8IktJg-unsplash (1).jpg

Do you know who you are as business?

Start with why: purpose before everything else

Every enduring business begins not with a product, but with a clear sense of purpose. Purpose articulates why you exist, who you serve, and what you aim to change or improve in poeple's life with your business. This core question shapes the brand's vision, strategy, and identity. Brands anchored in purpose often outperform their peers and businesses grounded in why they exist deliver better revenue growth and stronger customer and employee loyalty over the long term. So, as Simon Sinek says: Start with why.

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle proposes three layers of thinking: why, how, and what. Most businesses start with what they do, what they sell or offer, and only later try to define how they do it or why it matters. Sinek argues that successful and enduring businesses flip this logic. They begin with why: their core belief or reason for being. From there, they define how they bring that belief to life, through unique methods, values or systems. Finally, they express what they offer in terms of products or services.

Knowing the why, (a.k.a. your purpose) helps your business make decisions with confidence. Want to introduce a new product, expand services, or partner with someone? Your purpose becomes the measuring stick. It helps you say yes when things align, and no when they do not. It's also a catalyst for better customer relationships.

Today’s consumers want to know what brands stand for and small businesses have a comparative advantage here. You can take a personal conviction and turn it into a coherent purpose that guides everything you do. Purpose is before all personal. For instance a family bakery could define its purpose as feeding joy and connection in the neighbourhood. This purpose informs product choices (baked classics with flavour twists from family recipes), engagement (storytelling about grandparents’ recipes in shop signage), and even community outreach (hosting monthly bread baking for local schools).

Purpose also is also emotional and can empower your team and community. Deloitte research shows organisations that define social or environmental commitments attract and retain talent more effectively through the aspirations they follow. Employees feel more motivated when their work contributes to something meaningful because it rewards their convictions and work. When your bakery hires a local teenager who learns traditional baking skills, your business becomes a place of learning and belonging, not just a place of work.

The challenge lies in shifting from idea to reality. This is where most people get lost because sadly, writting a purpose statement is not enough. of course, AI might help you with the wording but does it won't help you embody your core values and expectations within the business. Purpose is important because it shapes your customer experience, your culture, and your operations so ask yourself:

How well does my purpose translate into something customers care about?
How does your purpose show in your daily habits and decisions?
Could your clients tell what your purpose is?

If you can't answer these 3 questions, then it means you need to look back at the initial reasons behind the pursuit of your business idea.

From purpose to value proposition

Remember, it's about the why we exist and the "why" is here to answer: who we serve, how we help, and how we add value.

Thet last word is critical in the context of selling your business. To make your business identifiable, clear and compelling to customers, you need to translate your purpose into a unique value proposition. In other words, you need to clearly state what makes you trully different, if not better, than your competitors.

Your unique value proposition, or UVP, is where your purpose meets the reality of customer choices and competition. It communicates what you offer, to whom, and why it matters. To create your unique value proposition, shift to an outward view and put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customers:

What customer needs or challenges does my purpose address?
- Remember, we talk about purpose here, not product/service benefits
- Make a list of each needs and challenges (also know as pain point - what bothers your customers enough that you decided to offer something to fix this).
- The logic goes, "My business is born to give/provide [purpose] to people who need [Needs], because they struggle with [challenges]"
- Prioritise your list by identifying the strongest needs and toughest challenges
How does fulfilling my purpose improve my customers’ lives or businesses?
- Again, we talk about the benefits of having your purpose
- List the potential practical benefits for your customers
- List the potential benefits to your business
What feelings or benefits do I want my customers to associate with my brand?
- List the potential emotional benefits for your customers (Think about what your business now allows them to do now and how it makes them feel)
Are these benefits currently obvious to customers or hidden behind my internal vision?
- How quick do your customers capture the benefits of your business purpose? and how easy is it for them to identifty them?

This reflection helps ground your purpose in the real experience of the people you want to serve. It also reveals the unique angles where your purpose intersects with customer desires, which become key in crafting your selling proposition. And then, ask yourself: What do I exactly sell or deliver that turns my intentions into action? This is where small business owners often get stuck explaining what they do and what they mean.

So first, look into the core product or service your business provides a.k.a what is the main thing you offer that people can buy, use, or experience? Then shift from features to benefits. Features are the descriptive aspects of your product. Benefits are what those features enable for the customer.

For example, a purpose-driven brand focused on sustainability might produce reusable water bottles made with bamboo fibers. The feature is the bottle material that's unique and eco-friendly; the benefit is helping customers reduce plastic waste and feel empowered to protect the environment.

To structure this work, ask yourself:

What is the single most important offering I deliver?
What does it allow my customers to do or become?
What makes this offering more aligned with my purpose than similar alternatives on the market?

Narrowing your unique selling proposition

The unique value proposition is a broader, strategic statement that captures the overall value your business delivers to customers. It focuses on the combination of benefits, emotions, and experiences your business promises, based on your purpose and what sets you apart in the market. The UVP communicates why your business matters and how it improves your customer’s life or solves their problem in a unique way. It’s about the full package: the functional, emotional, and sometimes societal value your brand provides.

In contrast, the unique selling proposition is often narrower and more tactical. It usually highlights a single distinct feature or benefit that you use in marketing to persuade customers to choose your product or service over competitors. The USP is what you “sell” as your competitive edge in a clear, concise message that is designed to stand out in advertising or sales pitches. It’s often a practical or functional differentiator such as price, quality, speed, or a special attribute.

Regarding the uniqueness your offer, distinguish between features (what your product/service is or does) and benefits (how it improves the customer’s situation).

To create a solid unique value proposition, identify your core offering’s defining characteristics that align with your purpose. Ask:

What is the primary product or service I provide?
What specific problem or desire does it address?
How does it uniquely deliver on my purpose compared to competitors?

Challenging your statement

For the last 5 years at least, personalisation often meant recommending a product someone might like based on previous purchases or addressing them by name in an email, you know, the typical "Good morning David, did you know we have a 20% discount voucher just for you today?". or the "Hi Monica, these are the most recent offers for you in your area". Well, that's no longer enough. Today, personalisation is about showing you understand people deeply and curating experiences to your audience personalities. It is about creating something that reflects who they are, what they care about, and how they want to be seen. In simple terms, it's a process that goes straight into product and service development, it's no longer a copywritting email or website tweak anymore.

People are looking for more than convenience. They want to feel recognised and understood. When a brand gets it right, personalisation becomes a way to build and 1-on-1 emotional connection. A personalised offer does not just say this is a good fit. It says we see you and we get you. It also says, I connect with this, I embody this product and I'm proud to use it. That kind of recognition creates trust, and trust is what keeps people coming back.

What makes this even more powerful is the role personalisation plays in self-expression. A personalised product or experience is not just useful. It becomes a hyper-personalised way for people to communicate their tastes, values, and preferences to others. Personalisation allows for the extension of one-self. It allows them to feel unique and to show that uniqueness in visible ways. A curated product bundle, a custom colour, or a tailored recommendation becomes part of their identity. It says something about them without needing explanation.

This shift in expectations also affects how people connect with brands. When a product or service feels personal, the relationship becomes stronger. It lasts longer. Personalisation helps people form bonds with brands that feel more like friendships than transactions. It turns the experience from a one-time interaction into an ongoing story.

Larger companies use data and automation to do this at scale. But small businesses often have an edge. You know your customers more directly. You can respond to them as individuals. A small personal gesture, like a thank-you note or a thoughtful reply, can create a deeper impression than any algorithm ever could.

At its best, personalisation is not just about selling something better suited to a customer. It is about showing that you understand who they are and helping them express that identity through what they choose. And when customers feel seen in that way, they are far more likely to remember you, return to you, and recommend you.

Do you know who you are?

In 2025, marketing is no longer about shouting the loudest or reaching the most people. It is more than ever about showing up in the right way, at the right time, with the right message in attention deprived societies. It is about connection, not interruption. Relevance, not reach for its own sake.

People today are more selective than ever. Their attention is limited and their expectations are high. They want to engage with brands that reflect their values, respect their individuality and speak to them like human beings. This shift has changed everything, from the way we shape products and prices to how we tell stories, deliver experiences and stay present across physical and digital spaces.

Marketing now lives at the intersection of identity, experience and emotion.

Customers want to feel seen and understood. They are drawn to experiences that awaken the senses and create lasting memories. They support brands that do not just sell but stand for something. This is where personalisation becomes powerful, not as a gimmick, but as a way of creating meaningful moments that mirror people’s tastes, beliefs and aspirations.

In a world facing environmental and economic uncertainty, sustainability and pricing have both taken on deeper meaning. People are more intentional with their spending. Many are willing to pay more when they believe in what a brand represents. Sustainability, when practiced sincerely, becomes a form of social permission. It tells the world your business is working to earn its place.

Technology has become a quiet partner in all this. Artificial intelligence, data tools and automation are helping brands become smarter in how they listen, respond and serve. Used well, they sharpen intuition rather than replace it. They help build closeness at scale, revealing what people care about so that marketing can feel more human, not less.

What brings all of this together is the expectation of a unified experience. People no longer separate online from offline, or social from retail. They expect a brand to be consistent wherever they find it. When businesses get this right, they are no longer just providers, they become familiar, trusted and remembered.

Marketing in 2025 is about optimising every aspect of your business keeping your customers at the centre of this effort. Care for the people you speak to. Care for the stories you tell. Care for the world you are part of. Brands that act with this kind of attention and responsibility are not just building campaigns, they are building community and long-term value.

You do not need to be everywhere. You just need to be meaningful where it matters.