Build your social enterprise brand

If you build your social enterprise brand it will give you the opportunity to influence what people think and how they behave. It will give you the power to change things.

As a social enterprise your brand is a particularly powerful tool. At the heart of each organisation is a ‘purpose’ – the reason they exist. This is the foundation of every brand. In commercial businesses ‘purpose’ can get lost, because the focus is often on making money, rather than making a difference. This is where the opportunity for social enterprise emerges. As a social enterprise it’s ALL about making a difference. And that’s attractive, not just to your stakeholders, but to the wider community.
 

Why branding is important

In an atmosphere of uncertainty, social enterprises have the opportunity to bring a fresh approach and an alternative solution. But to win a new audience you have to explain why you are the solution. Social enterprises need to clearly articulate the advantages their model can offer – when compared to the existing solutions available – to each audience they want to engage with.

Your brand is a powerful communication tool. It has the potential to differentiate you from competitors, and make you interesting and relevant to your audience.
 

How to build your brand

To do that you need to build a solid foundation for your brand. There are three elements that need to be woven together to create it.

The business element
This is about considering the practical aspects of the business. It’s important to establish what your goal is for the organisation, and how you will measure your success in achieving it. Including this element will ensure that your brand is focused on making a tangible impact on your business.

The internal element
This is about defining the ‘purpose’ that drives your organisation, and the values you want people to associate with you and your products or services. This is the opportunity to differentiate your organisation from the competition. It will also make your proposition more attractive to your audience.

The external element
This is about understanding two of the external factors that influence your success: your target audience and your competitors. The better you understand your audience, the more effectively and efficiently you will be able to communicate with them. The better you understand your competitors, the more easily you will be able to stand out from them and demonstrate what it is that makes you different.
 

The power of your brand

If you build your social enterprise brand it will give you the ability to change the attitude of potential customers, commissioners, partners and suppliers. Your brand will give you the ability to communicate clearly and consistently the benefits you deliver, opening up new markets and opportunities. It will turn your social enterprise model from a novelty option into a preferred solution.

 


Get in touch
To have a chat about how to build your social enterprise brand, drop us an email. It would be great to hear from you!


Download our free guide
If you want to know more about building a brand for your social enterprise, we’ve created a guide. You can download it for free.


 

 
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