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Creating a manifesto is an important step in building a meaningful brand. When you share your values and beliefs you will begin to attract more people who believe what you believe.
What is a brand manifesto?
Your brand manifesto is a declaration of your principles. It’s a statement of your core beliefs and values. It’s what you stand for as a brand.
Your brand manifesto will make it easier for people to engage and connect with you and your brand because now they know what you stand for.
Simon Sinek explains how this works in his amazing TED talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Action (over 41 million views at the time of this writing). He says people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. So in everything you do, start with why.
People buy from you because they believe what you believe, and creating a brand manifesto is a simple yet powerful way to show the world what you believe.
Why share your brand manifesto?
Once you’ve done the work and created a meaningful brand manifesto, don’t just hang it on the wall next to your computer, share it. But why should you share your brand manifesto? What does this do for you?
When you share your brand manifesto with your audience, they can clearly see who you are and what you’re all about. Sharing your manifesto gives your audience a reason to get behind you as a brand, it helps build relationships, and it creates brand loyalty.
When you share your brand manifesto you start attracting people who believe what you believe, and it’s these people who become your best customers.
So how can you share your brand manifesto?
Creative Ways to Share Your Brand Manifesto
Display your brand manifesto
Display your brand manifesto on your website
- Dedicate a page on your website to your brand manifesto.
- Add your manifesto to your “About” page.
- Create a shareable image of your brand manifesto. 99designs is a great resource for this.
- Use snippets of your manifesto on your homepage.
Display your brand manifesto on business or thank-you cards
- Add a short summary of your manifesto on your business cards.
- Add a different core value or belief to the back of each of your business cards (most printers can do this).
- Send thank-you cards to all your clients with your manifesto printed on the back.
- Include a brand manifesto thank-you card in every order that you ship.
Display your brand manifesto on your product packaging
- Display a list of your beliefs on the back of your product packaging.
- Add a different line from your manifesto on each of your products.
Display your brand manifesto around your store or shop
- Make big posters, one for each of your core values or beliefs, and hang them all around your store, shop, or restaurant.
- Make small posters of your manifesto and place them on all of the tables around your cafe, bistro, or bar.
- Add your manifesto to your carry-out bags or shopping bags. Lululemon is famous for this.
Create content around your brand manifesto
Create a blog post series
- Create a series of blog posts, each one dedicated to sharing one belief or value from your brand manifesto.
- Get others to contribute. Have other people write posts about what your beliefs mean to them.
- Incorporate your brand manifesto into every post you write. In everything you do you should be sharing what you believe in and what you stand for.
Create a video series
- Create a series of videos for each of your manifesto items.
- Interview others and ask them what each of these beliefs mean to them.
- Video usually conveys more emotion and passion that the written word.
Create a podcast series
- Create an entire series of podcast episodes, one for each of your core values or beliefs. This is a great way to kick off your podcast as it shows people what you’re all about from the beginning.
- Add one of your manifesto items at the beginning or end of each podcast episode. Over time, people will get to hear them all.
Create an image series
- Create shareable images for each of your beliefs. These could be as simple as a background image with a quote on top.
- Use bite-sized snippets or “sound bites” for these. Don’t get too wordy.
- Sprinkle these throughout your social media posts on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook.
- This is awesome “evergreen” content. You can use and reuse these images for years.
Create a social media campaign
- Create a series of tweets highlighting each of the things you stand for as a brand.
- Create an Instagram series using microcontent – short posts with images that go a little deeper into each item from your brand manifesto.
- Share your blog, video, podcast, or image series on all of your social media channels.
Live your brand manifesto
Live your brand manifesto yourself
- Be the embodiment of your brand manifesto. Don’t just display it or share it, live it.
- Look for ways you can express your beliefs in your actions.
- Support a cause you believe in.
- Donate your time or your money to the things you stand for.
Make sure your employees live your manifesto
- If you have employees, get them on board with your core values from the start.
- Hang your manifesto around the office or break room.
- Check-in with your employees regularly to make sure they still support your beliefs.
- Be sure your employees are communicating your manifesto to your customers.
Only work with people who live your manifesto
- You might not have employees, but you might partner with others or use contractors.
- Be sure to get them on the same page as you.
- You don’t have to work with someone who undermines your company culture.
Takeaways
- Your brand manifesto is a declaration of your principles. It’s what you stand for as a brand.
- Sharing your manifesto gives your audience a reason to get behind you, it builds relationships, and creates brand loyalty.
- Display your brand manifesto on your website, on business or thank-you cards, on your product packaging, or around your shop or store.
- Create content around your brand manifesto like a series of blog posts, a video or podcast series, an image series, or a social media campaign.
- Live your brand manifesto by supporting a cause you believe in. Also be sure your employees, partners, or contractors are all on the same page as you.
How do you share your brand manifesto? I’d love to see examples! Feel free to share them here or in The Brand Sketch Community on Facebook.
Patrick McGilvray – Coffee lover, ultrarunner, and experienced brand strategist. Creator of 
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