Your business brand

In business context, a brand is a holistic concept that encompasses the overall identity, image, and perception of a business in the minds of its priority customers. It goes beyond visual elements like logos and extends to the values, personality, and experiences associated with the business. A strong brand creates a distinct and memorable identity that sets the business apart from competitors.

Priority customers, sometimes referred to as a target audience, are those that have a great need for your products or services.

Your business purpose

The business purpose outlines why a business exists — beyond making a profit.

We talked about reasons for starting a small business. This may be aligned to it being a purpose-led business, or it may not.

A purpose-led business is one that sets out to solve a social or environmental problem. You may remember we covered this distinction at the beginning of this programme. This included a case study on Pacific Kids Learning ,a purpose-led business.

At its most fundamental it answers the question ‘Why do we exist?’ When you have that answer to that question, you have your business purpose. This response provides a framework and direction for the business and guides the business’ strategy and decision-making.

All of the reasons why your business exists are important, but some statements are more appropriate for public viewing (external purposes), while others are best kept to yourself or within your business (internal purposes).

Here is Pacific Kids’ Learning’s external purpose: “In an era where Pacific languages are endangered and cultural knowledge gaps are widening, we exist to revitalise and strengthen cultural knowledge and identity in young people” (Pacific Kids Learning, no date)

Here is an example of an external purpose from a business that is not purpose-led, Gather & Graze: “To provide a better tasting and better-looking range of gourmet treats and beautiful home and tableware to retailers across New Zealand.” (Gather & Graze, no date)

As mentioned earlier in this module, your internal purposes might be because you want to work more flexibly, have the satisfaction of creating and nurturing something of your own, or you may have seen an opportunity to make a business out of a hobby. If your business is purpose-led then your internal purpose(s) may be similar to your external purpose(s).

Here are some steps that can help you identify and define your business purposes:

1. Reflect on your why: Start by reflecting on why you started your business or why you're involved in it. What inspired you? What problem were you aiming to solve or what need were you trying to fulfil?
2. Understand your values: Identify the values that drive your business. These values serve as guiding principles and influence decision-making processes. Consider what principles are most important to you and your business, such as integrity, innovation, sustainability, or customer satisfaction. Business values will be covered later in this topic.
3. Define your goals: Consider the long-term goals and aspirations for your business. What impact do you want to have on your industry, community, or the world? Your goals should be ambitious and inspirational, providing a clear direction for the future of your business. Business goals will be covered later in this topic.
4. Analyse your market: Conduct market research to understand the needs, preferences, and trends within your industry. Identify gaps or opportunities where your business can make a meaningful contribution or differentiation. Understanding the market landscape can help align your purpose with market demands. Market analysis will be covered in the next topic.
5. Consider stakeholder perspectives: Take into account the perspectives and interests of all stakeholders involved in your business, including customers, employees, investors, suppliers, and the community. How does your business impact each of these stakeholders, and how can you create value for them?
6. Seek feedback and refine: Share your purpose statement with key stakeholders and collect feedback. Consider their suggestions for refinement.

Some tools and resources that can help you with your business purposes were mentioned in the list above, such as conducting a market analysis and seeking feedback. Other tools and resources include:

• Stakeholder input: Seek input from key stakeholders earlier in the process. Their input can provide valuable insights and ensure buy-in for the final statement.
• Competitor research: Analyse the purpose statements of your competitors. This can give you insight into industry norms and help you identify gaps or areas where you can differentiate your business.
• SWOT analysis: Conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of your business will help you identify key elements to include in your purpose statement and understand your competitive position. The SWOT analysis method is covered in the next topic.
• Professional writing assistance: If you're struggling to articulate your external purpose statement effectively, consider hiring a professional writer or consultant with experience in business communications. They can help you refine your message and ensure it resonates with your target audience.
• Business purpose template: Utilise a template such as this one provided by NZTE. 
• Business storytelling: Every business has an origin story - a reason why it was founded and what inspired its creation. Use storytelling techniques to help you develop your purpose statements, such as:
  • Highlighting the challenges, motivations, and aspirations that led to the birth of your business.
  • Illustrating the impact and transformation your business brings to your customers and the world.
  • Using language that evokes emotion and will resonate with your audience's values.
  • Being genuine and transparent, avoiding exaggeration or embellishment, and striving to connect with your audience on a human level. 
  • Making your audience the hero of your story. Show how your business's purpose aligns with their own goals, aspirations, and values. Empower them to be part of something bigger and invite them to join you on your journey toward a shared purpose.

Vision and mission statements

A vision statement describes the desired future state of the business.

A mission statement is a broad statement that outlines the fundamental purpose of the business, its primary activities, and the value it provides to customers and stakeholders. It answers the question, "What do we do?"

Here are the vision and mission statements of Pacific Kids’ Learning:

“The Vision: Our mana-enhancing platform is the leading digital learning resource for all young Pacific learners globally.

Our Mission: We design, create and make accessible culturally-responsive digital resources for young learners.” (Pacific Kids Learning, no date)

Vision and mission statements can pair well with your business purpose(s) and also steer decision-making while helping to differentiate your business in the market.

Although it’s traditional to have mission and vision statements, it’s not mandatory. When you have a clear vision and mission that you think is worth keeping in centre-front, and you make it part of the way you, your staff and customers think about your business, it’s worth having. But if it’s just to conform to what is traditionally done and makes no difference to the way you run your business, creating them may end up creating work for its own sake which would be a waste of time and money.

Values

Business values are the fundamental beliefs, principles, and ethical standards that guide the behaviour, decisions, and culture within a business. Values can help shape a business’ identity and influence how it interacts with its stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners, and the community. Values are often expressed in statements that outline the business’ commitment to specific principles.

Natures Therapeutics is a Māori owned manufacturer of health and personal products based in Whangārei, Aotearoa. The image below is of their business values on their website:

Value proposition

A value proposition is a clear and concise statement that communicates the unique value and benefits of a business’ offerings to its customers. It answers the question ‘what are the unique things that customers will get or change as a result of having contact with you?’

It articulates what sets a business apart from its competitors and why potential customers should choose what it has to offer. A compelling value proposition addresses the specific needs, desires, or problems of the priority customers and highlights the advantages of the product or service in a way that resonates with them.

Here are some good examples of value propositions:

“Blunt Umbrellas: 'We take ordinary products and turn them into extraordinary experiences, starting with the umbrella. Combining superior engineering with beautiful design.'

Spark New Zealand: 'Spark is a word that means life, potential, energy and creativity. And at Spark that's what we're here to do – to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world.'

Emma Lewisham skincare: 'We are in business to set a new benchmark in beauty, creating a positive impact on your skin, your wellbeing and your planet.'” (New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, 2023)

Note that value propositions may change over time. As mentioned earlier in the module, you must comply with the Fair Trading Act 1986. While a value proposition can be somewhat aspirational, it shouldn’t be misleading to customers as to what your business is able to offer.  

Here are some steps you can take to craft your value proposition:

1. Research your target market: Start by thoroughly understanding your target market - their needs, pain points, preferences, and aspirations. What are they looking for in a product or service? What problems are they trying to solve? Researching your target market is covered in the next topic.
2. Highlight key benefits: Focus on the primary benefits your product or service provides to your customers. These benefits should directly address your customers’ needs. Use language that resonates with them and clearly communicates the value they will receive.
3. Address customer pain points: Articulate how your product or service solves specific problems or challenges faced by your target audience. Emphasise the transformation or improvement your customers can expect by using your offering.
4. Differentiate from competitors: Highlight what makes your offering unique and better than alternatives in the market. Whether it's through innovative features, superior quality, exceptional customer service, or other factors, emphasise what sets you apart. Understanding your market and researching competitors is covered in the next topic.
5. Be clear and specific: Your value proposition should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid jargon or technical language that may confuse your audience. Clearly state what you offer and why it matters.
6. Seek feedback and refine: Once you've crafted your value proposition, share it with key stakeholders and collect feedback. You can even test it with your target audience to gauge its effectiveness. Refine your value proposition based on these insights.

Some tools and resources that can help you with your value proposition were mentioned in the list above, such as target market research and seeking feedback. Others were mentioned earlier in this topic, in regard to your business purpose, such as seeking stakeholder input early on in the process and engaging professional writing assistance. Here are a few more tools and resources you can use:

• Competitor research: Analyse your competitors' value propositions to identify gaps and opportunities for differentiation. 
• Value Proposition Canvas: The Value Proposition Canvas, developed by Alexander Osterwalder, is a strategic tool that helps businesses clarify their customers' needs and how their product or service addresses those needs. It consists of two parts: the customer profile and the value proposition map.
• Using this canvas can provide structured guidance in defining your value proposition. 
  • Visit this webpage which provides a link to download the template, as well as a video to guide you on how to use it.
  • Researching your target market and developing a profile is covered in the next topic.
• Other value proposition templates: Utilise a template such as this one provided by NZTE, which also includes a completed template example.

Assessment 1

You should now be ready to complete the first assessment: SBE01A1: Business purpose and value proposition.

Have a read of the assessment instructions. If you don’t feel ready to make a start, reread the sections that cover the bits you’re not sure about. You can write this as a draft to review and submit later.

Short and long term goals

Business goals are objectives that a business aims to achieve in the short-term or over the long term. These goals provide a roadmap for the business, guiding its efforts toward success and growth. Business goals can cover various aspects of a business, including financial performance, customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, market expansion, and employee development. Short-term goals are what a business aims to achieve in the near future, typically within a one-year time frame. They can be stepping stones toward achieving longer-term goals which are typically set for a period of three to five years or even longer.

Here is an example of a well-written short-term goal:

"Increase the number of monthly website visitors by 20% within the next six months (by 31 December 2024) by implementing a targeted content marketing strategy."

There are frameworks that can help you set good business goals. Let’s look at two of them:

• SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
• FAST goals: Frequently discussed, Ambitious, Specific and Transparent

You are probably familiar with SMART goals. There has been a trend away from SMART goals in the last few years towards FAST goals. Use the framework that works best for you and your business.

SMART goal framework

Consider the following when writing SMART goals:

Specific
Goals should be clear and specific, providing a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved. Avoid vague or ambiguous language.

Measurable
Goals should include criteria that allow for measurement of progress and successful completion. This could involve quantifying the goal, using metrics or other indicators.

Achievable
Goals should be realistic and attainable. While it's good to set ambitious objectives, they should still be within reach, given the available resources and constraints.

Relevant
Goals should align with broader objectives and be relevant to the business’ purpose, vision and mission. They need to contribute meaningfully to the larger picture.

Time-bound
Goals should have a specific timeframe or deadline. This helps create a sense of urgency and provides a clear time frame for evaluation and completion.

FAST goal framework

Consider the following when writing FAST goals:

Frequently discussed
Goals should be regularly reviewed and discussed to ensure alignment and progress tracking. Regular discussions keep goals at the forefront of everyone's minds and allow for adjustments as needed.

Ambitious
Goals should push businesses to strive for significant achievements. They should be challenging yet attainable, encouraging individuals to stretch beyond their comfort zones to reach higher levels of performance.

Specific
Goals should outline precisely what needs to be accomplished, who is responsible, and by when. Specific goals help focus efforts and provide clarity on what success looks like.

Transparent
Goals should be transparently communicated to everyone involved. This ensures that everyone understands the objectives, their roles in achieving them, and how their work contributes to the overall goals of the business.

As mentioned earlier in this topic, the brand is about more than the logo. However, your logo will probably be the first thing a potential customer sees of your business and how they will recognise you going forward. The business name and general visual theme of the business’ identity is usually conveyed by the logo.

When you create your business name, logo and other aspects of the visual identity, these should be inspired by and represent the foundations talked about previously in this topic.

Business name

The name of a business is a fundamental aspect of a business’ identity and is used for legal, branding, and marketing purposes.

Choosing a business name

A business name should be chosen carefully as it becomes a critical part of the overall brand and influences how the business is perceived by customers.

There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing a business name, for instance, you could use words that relate to your business, make up a word or use your name or surname. Brainstorming and asking for feedback from potential customers or other people involved with your business can be helpful in choosing.

Once you have chosen or narrowed down your options, it is important to check whether the name is available. You will also need to make sure that your business name is not too similar to another as this can not only dilute your brand and increase customer confusion but result in legal action against your business.

Onecheck is a tool that will not only check business names, but also trademarks, website domains and social media usernames. You might also like to see if the domain names that relate to your business are available. For example, if you are thinking about calling your floristry business Flowers For You, you'll see that flowersforyou.co.nz is taken but flowersforyou.nz is available. This should prompt you to see who owns the .co.nz domain and may make you reconsider your business name, especially if it could cause confusion in customers’ minds. Trade marks are covered later in this topic.

Registration and trading names

Your business can have one business name, or you can have a business name as well as a trading name. If your business has both a business name and a trading name, then the trading name is the public-facing name of your business. If your business doesn’t have a trading name then the business name is the public-facing name of your business. Throughout this topic, where we talk about your business name, we are referring to the public-facing name.

If your business is a company you will need to register your business name with the Companies Office. This is considered your company’s legal, registered name. A company can also have one or more trading names. A trading name is the public-facing name of your company if you do not wish to use your registered business name for this purpose.

Using multiple trading names can be helpful when a company engages in various business lines – using a trading name for each line can help communicate the specific focus of each without confusing customers.

Businesses may choose to use a trading name for a number of different reasons, for example, a business undergoing rebranding may introduce a new trading name to signal a fresh start or to communicate changes in their business approach.

If your business is structured as a partnership or sole-trader, you do not need to register a business name. You can have both a business name and trading name if you choose to.

Logo

Logos are a key visual representation of a business and play a role in creating a lasting and positive impression on customers. A well-designed logo contributes to brand recognition, differentiation, and the overall success of a business in a competitive market. A logo is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to represent and identify a business.

It is worth the investment to use a professional designer to create your logo. However, if cost is an issue then you can consider other options such as purchasing pre-made logos, utilising the services of a design student or using tools such as Canva or Adobe Express to create your own. Because a logo can inspire emotions in customers, if you are not a creative person or don’t understand the links between graphics and emotions, it is probably best to avoid creating the logo yourself. Some self-created logos can look great, while others can look old-fashioned, boring or irrelevant.

When it comes to logos, less is more. Keeping it simple will not only help your logo to be more memorable, but it will also allow for easier and more visually appealing application of your logo to your marketing media such as your website, business card, and other branded items such as shirts and pens.

Brand guide

A brand guide is a document that outlines the various elements and guidelines that contribute to a consistent and cohesive brand identity. It is usually created by someone who understands visual design and the reproduction process and how people respond to different aspects of the brand. In addition, with careful attention to space, colour, size and position, it is useful when getting others to produce physical or digital items such as giveaways, handouts, or online user guides and publications.

A consistent brand image provides stability in a constantly changing business environment. It gives customers a sense of reliability and reassures them that the business is committed to its values and promises.

At a minimum, a brand guide should include:

• The different formats and colours of a logo and how they should be used.
• Colours and shades for the general visual theme and how they should be used.
• Fonts and styles to be used for headings and body text.

If you have a logo created for you by a designer, they may include a brand guide as a part of that service. If not, you can ask for it to be added on or get in touch with another designer to create one for you.

Here is an example of what a simple, yet professionally designed brand guide looks like:

While it is again worth it to use a professional designer for this, you can create your own using a free template.

Remember that consistency is key. There should be a cohesive theme across all of your brand material that ties back to your logo.

When considering colours and fonts you can:

• Source fonts outside of what is available from the standard font library in the applications you use. There are plenty of free fonts available for download, you just need to make sure that they are free for commercial use. Websites such as Font Squirrel and dafont provide plenty of fonts that fit this criteria. When choosing fonts, try to keep it simple and easy to read. Look at the kinds of fonts that other successful businesses use that are in the same industry as yours. Consider choosing a font that includes tohutō (macrons) so that you are able to present Māori kupu (words) correctly and in keeping with your visual theme. This article has more information about macrons and how to use them on your computer.
• Use a free colour scheme tool to help you decide on a colour scheme. Tools such as Coolers or Adobe Color allow you to view colour schemes created by others for inspiration, create colour schemes from uploading a photo, and more.

Different colours have different emotions and connotations associated with them. The image below provides an example.

Colours have different meanings in different countries and cultures, so it is important to do your research and know who your target market is. This is covered in the next topic.

This article was written in the context of Matariki but provides insight to what colours represent in Māori culture.

Imagery

You can use imagery to communicate your brand's personality, values, and messaging. This can be in the form of photographs or illustrations.

Have a look at the brand guide for Starbucks as another example. The Illustration and Photography pages demonstrate how imagery can be used to represent a brand.

As demonstrated by the two examples you have seen, the level of detail and the elements included in a brand guide will differ for every business in alignment with its branding and marketing needs.

To get imagery for your business you can engage a designer, photographer, or utilise websites that provide free and paid stock images and illustrations.

If your business will be exporting to other countries, NZ Story’s toolkit has plenty of free imagery. Please note that use of the toolkit must be for the offshore promotion of New Zealand and/or New Zealand products and services.

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names, and images used in commerce.

Protecting your brand

It is important to protect your brand as it is what helps customers differentiate your business from others. It can be detrimental to your business if others use or closely replicate elements of your brand (such as your business name and logo) as it can confuse customers and undermine the business image and relationships you have built. This webpage provides a brief overview of what to do if you believe someone has stolen your IP.

The ability to monitor and enforce (take legal action) is an important part of protecting your brand. If you’re considering protecting any part of your intellectual property you should speak to a lawyer who specialises in this field of expertise before taking action.

On the other side of this, you need to make sure that your business is not using names and graphics that are closely similar to another business’ (inadvertently or otherwise).

Types of intellectual property protection

While intellectual property includes your branding, it can also include other aspects that make your business, products or services unique such as a recipe for a product or a business strategy.

Intellectual property is protected by law either automatically or through registration of which there are different types. This protection gives the creator or owner exclusive rights to use, reproduce, distribute, and control their intellectual creations for a certain period.

For the types of intellectual property protection you identified when looking at the image, you may like to download the corresponding IP reference card. These can be found on this webpage, under the heading ‘IP reference cards’. Below is an example of one of these reference cards.

Head to the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand’s (IPONZ) website to:

• search for existing IP
• register, manage and renew your IP
• find out more information.

Māori intellectual property

“New Zealand’s patent and trade mark laws include specific provisions for the protection of mātauranga Māori. These provisions help prevent the registration of trade marks or granting of patents that would be considered offensive by Māori or contrary to Māori values. Mātauranga Māori (most commonly translated as Māori knowledge) encompasses the body of knowledge originating from Māori ancestors. It includes the Māori world view and perspectives, as well as Māori creativity and cultural practices including Te Reo, the Māori language.” (Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand, no date)

If you are considering using any elements of Māori culture for promoting your business or selling a product or service, it is a good idea to first educate yourself as well as communicate with whānau, hapū or iwi for both advice and also approval before you do go ahead with using any elements – this can also help with avoiding cultural appropriation, which we will be discussing in the next section.

Cultural appropriation

Cultural appropriation and intellectual property are related concepts. Cultural appropriation refers to the borrowing, adoption, or imitation of elements from one culture by members of another culture, often without proper understanding or respect for the cultural context. This can be quite offensive and sometimes hurtful to the people whose culture has been appropriated.

While intellectual property laws can protect certain cultural expressions, they may not fully address the ethical or cultural implications of appropriation. Cultural appropriation is a complex and sensitive topic. It is important for individuals and communities to engage in thoughtful communication and education to promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation while avoiding harmful appropriation.

As with using elements of Māori culture, if you are considering using elements from any other culture, it is important to understand the meanings behind them and to seek advice and approval from those who have the authority to provide it to you. It is also important to reflect on why you are considering doing this.

Summary

In this topic we’ve covered a range of considerations for building a strong business brand. Establishing key statements such as your business’ purpose and value proposition can help guide your decision-making as well as providing a foundation for your brand.

Your business name and visual brand identity such as your logo and imagery help convey your brand’s messaging. It is important for both your brand and your business to protect your intellectual property and avoid IP infringement and cultural appropriation. Understanding your business market will have an impact on how you want to portray your business through your brand, and this is covered in the next topic.