I love a good brand, in fact, I’m a sucker for them…
Recently I was in Target with my boyfriend who was looking for some Bar Keepers Friend, so I started to peruse the cleaning isle.
Not exactly a shopping trip that excited me, until I spotted a collection of cleaning products by The Honest Company.
My eyes lit up. In real life the products looked even more cuter than I’d thought they would be. (I would like to point out that we don’t have these products back home in the UK!)
I carefully started to pick up each product and basically stare at it!!
Lol, what the heck was I doing?! I was practically drooling over some cleaning products in Target. Not cool.
When my boyfriend came back over to me I proceed to tell him everything I knew about The Honest Company – about its values and how cool it was and then I insisted on buying a multi-surface cleaner (even though we have plenty of cleaning products at home… but not like this I told him!).
When we got into the car I sat there with the cleaning product in my hands and Kelin said to me, “you’re so proud of yourself aren’t you?”
And I smiled. I sooooo was!!!
So what on earth was going on? Why was I so proud of myself for buying a cleaning product? Why did it make me feel so good/excited (I literally couldn’t wait to use it!)?
Because The Honest Company have one hell of an incredible brand, and it’s definitely not by accident.
They’ve created their brand so that people like me buy it, not because we need it, but because we want it… and we’re talking about a cleaning product here people, not some cute shoes or an amazing bag!
So, as we’re all entrepreneurs I really wanted to share this story with you, because it demonstrates how powerful a good brand really is.
If The Honest Company can turn boring cleaning products into exciting purchases, then every single one of us can do the same for our products and services.
All we have to do is follow a few simple rules…
So here’s my take on how The Honest Company have created an incredible brand and how you can too (see if you pass the brand test):
THEIR MISSION IS SO CLEAR
I knew of The Honest Company before I saw their products in Target and I knew that they are a company all about creating eco-friendly, honest, non-toxic products that women are proud to have in their home, because not only are they safe products, they are designed to be beautiful.
Even if you didn’t know what their mission was before seeing their products, it would take you about 3 seconds to realise it once you’d seen them, because their message is communicated clearly from all of their products.
QUESTION: are you clear about what your business’s mission is? And do you communicate it effectively throughout everything you do? Your website, your products/services? You’ve got to get your message to ooze out of everything you do.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE IS
Another reason why The Honest Company have an amazing brand is because they do everything with their target audience in mind. Their products are definitely not for everyone and they don’t try to be.
Their target audience is a woman who believes in using non-toxic products in her home. She is proud of her home and wants things to look good – I’m sure there’s more to their audience than this, but the point is that they’ve created their products for her.
Here’s what they say on their site, “Your home sets the stage for your life. We design our products that add to the beauty of your surroundings (instead of things you want to hide in drawers and under sinks).”
I was compelled to buy one of their products because it resonated with me on every level.
Why did it resonate? Because we have the same beliefs and ideals:
// I believe that the products I use should be non-toxic and eco-friendly and so do they. So I already feel like me and this brand belong together.
// I strive to make my home feel good and be beautiful. Their products strive to do the same thing. They look pretty, not like normal cleaning products. I love everything about how The Honest Company’s products look and feel.
There are more things, but they are the main 2 reasons why I love this brand, because it fulfils my desire to use good, safe products and to have a beautiful home.
That’s why when I bought the products I felt proud and excited. This product resonated with me on a deep level.
QUESTION: Are you ridiculously clear about who your target audience are? Are you connecting and resonating with them on a deep level? Do your products and services convey your beliefs and values well?
THEY LOOK THE PART
I’ve already touched on this point above, but it’s crucial.
If The Honest Company’s products looked bad I would never have bought them, even though they’re non-toxic. Why? Because looks matter, well to me anyway (and most people).
They way things look speak a thousand words. From your website, to your products. Your brand has got to look the part. It’s got to wow your audience.
Let’s take a look at The Honest Company:
// Their name and logo say it all:
They are all about being honest, so what better name than The Honest Company (not saying your business should be named after your values, but it should convey your message effectively). Their logo also looks good.
// Their colours:
The use the same colours across all of their products and on their website, so when you catch one of their products out of the corner of your eye, you know it’s The Honest Company. It’s a really distinctive look and feel, which resonates with their audience.
// Their design:
Everything they design looks good. From the design of their products, to the design of their website – it all looks very credible.
QUESTION: Does your name and logo capture your ethos? Does it look credible? Are the colours you use consistent and do they resonate with your audience? Are your products (even if it’s just a free ebook) designed well, in a way that’s going to make your audience excited? Does your website look good?
If you want to build a successful brand that people believe in then your business has to look the part. There’s no room for crap design if you want to be incredible.
THEY KEEP IT SIMPLE
While I was in Target I did have a look at the other non-toxic products that were cheaper. Some of them looked well designed and I considered buying them instead, but at the end of the day I didn’t. So why?
It was because The Honest Company kept in simple. Their product told me exactly what I wanted to know in the simplest way, whereas all of the competition made it more complicated.
The Honest Company states “Plant-based all-purpose cleaner. Non-toxic, biodegradable, pH balanced, no animal testing.”
Bang, bang, bang. I’ve got the information I was looking for. But the rival products didn’t make it this easy or perhaps left out facts that were important.
So The Honest Company won my purchase.
QUESTION: When you’re communicate your offering to your audience, do you keep it simple? Is it easy for them to understand?
So there you have it, 4 reasons why I think The Honest Company is a brilliant brand and 4 things you can do to ensure yours is too – did you pass the test? Are you doing those 4 things? If so you should be well on your way to creating a brand that your audience LOVE.
There are other facts which make a brand outstanding, for example:
1) Having a story behind it all that people can relate to
2) Delivering exceptional value
3) Going above and beyond to create a business that delights its audience
But we can chat about that another day :)
I hope my experience of The Honest Company helps you to build a brand that wows.
If you have any questions or thoughts leave a comment below, I love to read what you think – it makes me smile, so get involved :)
Carrie xx
