EMPOWER YOUR BRAND FOR POSITIVE IMPACT
January 29, 2020Happy new year to all my fantastic clients and friends, I hope you have had a productive start. I am feeling very excited about this coming year, I have some really inspiring photography projects which I am very much looking forward to sharing with you.
Throughout this year along with my usual tips on the visual side of business, I will be sharing valuable brand building insights from business specialists in the Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex area on various subjects.
To kick things off I have been speaking with purpose and brand strategist Victoria Page of VP Comms. We discussed what positive impact means for businesses, how small businesses can begin to think about positive change, and how it can be implemented as an integral part of brand strategy. Below I have summarised some key questions we covered when discussing this interesting and vast subject.
Q & A with Victoria:
Why should business owners think about positive impact?
Businesses that have a positive impact and live purposefully consistently outperform those that don’t. Small brands that lead from the heart are more likely to gain investment, be chosen by loyal consumers, and are more attractive to new employees. This has been proven in multiple reports and we can all think of at least one brand that started small and has blossomed because of their ethos - Method, Ben and Jerrys, Ella’s Kitchen - all brands that lead from the heart. That said, being mindful of your impact on people and the planet is simply the right thing to do.
What are the key areas to consider when analysing your business practices?
Think about where your greatest impacts are. If you are a manufacturer, is your greatest impact through raw materials sourcing or energy consumption perhaps? If you are a service based business, could you make an impact through sharing your skills with others? For inspiration, check out what others in your field are up to as well.
What are some examples of how a small business can become a positive force?
My biggest piece of advice is to have clarity and focus. If you want to create a meaningful impact, don’t spread yourself too thinly and do everything. Choose one area and focus all your efforts there. For example, my passion is around sustainable business and sustainable living. I wanted to change the way my home town of Haslemere treated waste, as part of a sustainable lifestyle, so I founded Love Haslemere Hate Waste, focused on empowering the Haslemere community to waste less and look after their resources more. Later this year Suzannah and I are collaborating on an exciting project - Love Style Hate Waste to give pre-loved clothing a new home. Watch this space for more.
I hope this article has provided some inspiration for positive change in your business. I am very much looking forward to sharing more brand building pointers in the coming months. Keep an eye out for my next journal entry by following me on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Head to my Home Page to find out more about my work or contact me to if you would like to discuss your brand’s photography.