Do you remember the time when you developed impartial ideas and lived your dreams without being guided by what others think about them?
Who didn’t want to change the world as a child, to make mankind happy with innovative Lego machines?
Are you still doing this Or are you more driven by what you are doing instead of where you want to go. Many companies make exactly this mistake. They just look at what they’re making instead of why they’re making it. They celebrate their products or services in the media, but rarely question whether it has made the user more successful, better or, in particular, happy. But that is what is essential and should be pursued as the primary goal.
Every product or service must help the user! They are not an end in themselves.
Products have to solve user problems or fulfill wishes.
It’s that simple. Nothing more and nothing less!
The customer doesn’t care how you manufacture your products, what your internal processes and structures look like. At least if these do not violate ethical, moral or social rules or are part of the customer experience offered, as with organic or handmade products.
That’s why you don’t define yourself by what you do, but by what you stand for!
If you outline it in a few words, you have your mantra!
Here are a few tips on how to find your mantra and what you should consider.
Your mantra gives you the inner drive to do what is important, effective and meaningful. Doing something good for your customers, prospects or followers is more sustainable, motivating and gives you much more joy and fulfillment than just making something.
Why? Then ask yourself the following questions:
What do you do when you have finished your product?
Are you producing another one, or are you happy now for the rest of your life?
On the other side, a positive mantra has an enormous influence on all of your stakeholders: your customers, but also your employees or suppliers, are rather inspired and motivated and stand behind your brand and products if they share your values and your vision, aka your mantra.
Earning money is no mantra
And you are right now in the assumption: making money is not a mantra. If anything, it’s customer thanks for the added value you’ve given them!
You still know it from your childhood:
You didn’t want to save the world to make money. No you didn’t care. What you wanted was to see everyone happy and safe.
Making people happy, helping them is by far a bigger and more sustainable goal that we should strive for. The carpenter does not find his happiness and fulfillment in grinding table legs, but in the fact that the customer and client are happy about the table and its design, practicality, i.e. the touch, look & feel.
That is why it is important that you define your corporate purpose with your mantra with which people, customers or followers can identify sustainably and emotionally. They need to be able to see exactly what you stand for and what makes you different.
The mantra should consist of a maximum of 3-8 words and explain exactly why your company actually exists.
How do I find my mantra?
When my customers ask me how to find my mantra, I like to quote Washington Irving:
<< Great spirits have goals, others have wishes! >>
But surely these 5 questions will help you figure out your mantra:
- What do I stand for? What are my values?
- What’s the biggest goal I’m burning for?
- How do I want to change the world? What should the world remember me for?
- What are my activities to achieve the goal from question 3?
- Why should my company exist?
The answers to these questions are the building blocks of your mantra. The best thing to do is to write down all your answer ideas. Don’t rate your answer yet, this is about generating ideas. Only in the next step will you sort all answers according to what is best for you and which you would like to select for yourself and your company.
Here are some ideas that might help you:
- Restaurant chain: healthy food for everyone
- Pharma: affordable drugs for the world
- E-mobility: saving the climate with zero-emission vehicles
- Corporate Bank: Enable global trading
What does the mantra help me with?
A credible mantra is the reason why customers, employees, suppliers, financing partners or all other stakeholders see you as an authentic and trustworthy partner at their side and with whom they want to stay connected in the long term. You wouldn’t trust a company and follow in the long term, which only aims to make a lot of money with you as quickly as possible, but otherwise shares no value with you.
A mantra shows that your intentions are honest and that people benefit from them. It is the cornerstone to motivate yourself as well as your employees, partners and everyone involved to work long-term and focused for this purpose and to feel good about it.
Remember, every business is built on relationships. Trustful relationships are valuable and are also sustainable. This trust is based on shared values that also bind you emotionally.
Don’t forget to share your mantra with the world
Once you’ve found your mantra, use it in your CRM and communication strategy. Show everyone what your company means for the world and customers. Why the world is better because you and your products exist.