I just stumbled on an article in Huff Po: “How to Launch a Brand: Lose an Ego, Gain a Soul.” It’s an interview with Fabian Geyrhalter, founder of Finien, a Los Angeles branding company.
He’s done work for Pfizer, Lilly, W Hotels, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to name a few. I can see from the interview why he’s been so successful.
He says that products that compete based on price and features can never really become a brand. They’re not able to distinguish their products or touch their customers deeply enough to make it in today’s marketplace.
But he goes on, “A company that has soul does not need to compete on price; ever. Soul is what connects a product or service to a human’s emotion; a soul searches for a soul.”
I think that’s awesome. It cuts through the material bottom line and puts the power in the peoples’ hands.
Don’t you feel it right away when something you buy really does it for you – makes your life easier, or more fun, or more efficient? It’s like someone’s thought about you and your needs and preferences. Of course, Apple is a perfect example.
And isn’t it more appealing to buy a product from a company that has a purpose, a story, a mission, something that touches us, rather than a company that just produces stuff?
So I think this is a great question for small business owners to think about in creating or refreshing a brand.
What is the soul of your company? Who are you touching? How do you want them to feel? Are you reaching your clients’ soul?
The thing is, your soul doesn’t lie. Either it’s touched or not. And it’s up to us as business owners to find out what that means.
