How to Build a Purpose-Driven Brand with Katie Burkhart
On Brand with Nick Westergaard
Release Date: 05/03/2021
On Brand with Nick Westergaard
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info_outline“As branders, the word soup is absolutely unbelievable.” Words matter. And if you like words as much as Katie Burkhart and I both do, you’ll love this week’s episode. We discuss defining, refining, and developing your brand’s purpose, mission, vision, and more. What do all of these labels mean and how can they help you and your brand? Listen to Katie and learn.
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About Katie Burkhart
Katie Burkhart is on a mission to move purpose from aspirational messaging to tangible business practice by making the purpose-driven model more accessible and actionable.
She started by founding Matter 7, which has built purpose-driven brands for almost a decade. More recently, she launched MatterPulse, which helps organizations run and grow against the double bottom line. Her latest project, MatterLogic, outlines what it means to be purpose-driven and how to operationalize your purpose, solidly moving purpose from brand to business strategy.
Episode Highlights
What does it mean for a brand to have a purpose? Katie walked us through her five-part system. Purpose-driven brands must have:
- Purpose
- Mission
- Vision
- Values
- Story or strategic narrative
How do you find these pieces of your brand? “It’s all about refine, define, and develop,” Katie shared as she built on this further.
Is purpose-driven branding easier for nonprofits? This was a question I’d recently gotten from one of Katie’s client’s—the smart folks at Kids’ Chance where I served as keynote speaker at their national conference. “That depends,” cautioned Katie. “How semantic do you want to get. A lot of nonprofits have a mission but not a purpose.”
What brand has made Katie smile recently? Katie told about a very purposeful smile she’d had in response to a recent takeout order from American Joe’s Bar and Grill. The power of the hand-written note prevails!
To learn more, check out Katie’s website (and her newsletter there) and connect with her on LinkedIn.
As We Wrap …
Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.
On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more.
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