Finding your WHY, and why it’s so crucial

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

In Simon Sinek’s pinnacle TedTalk, he describes the importance of finding your why. He says that conveying why you do something, or why you sell something, is so much more important than what you do or sell.

“How do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions,” Sinek says. 

In the TedTalk, he uses the example of the Golden Circle. 

The Golden Circle identifies the important questions you need to answer for your audience to be interested in your product, service, or business. Everyone knows what they do, many know how they do it, but very few know why they do what they do. 

To understand your why, you need to identify your cause, belief, and purpose. 

The most successful businesses work from the inside of the circle out, rather than the outside in. 

Sinek uses the example of Apple. What makes this company different from other computer/tech manufacturers? Apple works from the inside out – they know their why.

Apple uses the slogan, “Think Different,” which states the company's purpose clearly for their consumers. They don’t promote their products with redundant and generic ad copy explaining that their products are better than the rest, easy to use, and are aesthetically pleasing, because that’s mundane and surface-level marketing. 

Apple makes it clear they “think different” and challenge the status quo. They think outside the box and give you products that reflect this. They have a purpose, a set vision, and clear values that make them stand out from their competitors. They’re not generic. They’re consistent, and most importantly, distinct. 

People will align themselves with what they believe in, so if they connect with your brand values, then they will become loyal customers.

To prove this, Sinek continues with his Apple example, pointing out the reason why there are enormous, hours-long lineups for Apple products when they’re first released. Why wouldn’t these customers wait a week for when the newest iPhone is readily available in stores? Because they've aligned themselves with Apple, and believe in the values and the why of the business.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

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If you’re struggling to find your why, reach out to me and we can work on your brand values together. There’s a lot to think of when marketing your business, so let me help you stand out from the crowd.