A Mani...what? A Manifesto!!!

Oh no, not another term? A manicure...no!  A MANIFESTO?  Okay what is this?

A manifesto for you or your business is NOT anything new.  That I can tell you.  When I heard the term I immediately researched this only to find that manifestos are old hat to thriving businesses and brands. It is a commonly used term actually and it plays a major role in a company or business’s brand.

By definition….a manifesto is a written statement that declares or states a person’s or a business’s core values.  There are personal manifestos and there are those for a business.  For both it relates to that persons’ intentions, opinions and values.  It is a statement or series of statements or images even that define who you or your business is, what you stand for in belief and what your vision is for your business.

So there are vision boards, vision statements, mission statements and a few common avenues by which one is encouraged to clearly develop a goal or mission for yourself, be it personally or for your business.  A manifesto falls in line with this concept with the following exceptions.

A manifesto is BOLD and has energy!  Images of them as seen here carry appeal to the eye.  They evoke emotion and as a business the intention is that it speaks to the customer.
It does not have to be just words but can be images, statements or even video.  Unlike a vision board, it define more of who or what your company is in the present.  It is nice to address what we envision for the future but what are we standing for now…today.

We are in the age of defining ourselves.  We are in and alone as one person are our own brand.   We are now comparing our own personal convictions with how we conduct ourselves personally or business wise.  A manifesto helps us channel this into our business.  After all, we are our brand, right?

Having an attractive brand is important, but even more crucial is putting out a cohesive message. The company manifesto is not new, but it is trendy and serves as almost a new type of mission statement https://contently.com/strategist/2012/08/15/why-your-company-needs-a-manifesto/

So where do you even start with regard to a manifesto?  I suggest you take a piece of paper and start with yourself.  If you are building a business and you are trying to define your brand, what are your core values?  What do you believe in?  What makes your tick?  If you were your own customer, what type of person would you be?  Anything and everything about you that would attract YOU as a customer you need to put down on paper.  And to start I mean everything.  I did!  I put down what I want for my family?  What I struggle with as a parent, a citizen, a business owner...etc.  I wrote out my personal convictions about the state of the world and economics. I just about wrote a diary of my feelings on a number of topics and issues.  I then used this to identify my customer.  I used it to then tailor my business to this person.  This LESLIE that I have put down on paper. 

I will tell you it is not easy and it has taken me time. I am still in the process of completing my manifesto as we speak.

And you should take your time as well.  It is not something completed overnight and after it has completed you will need to revisit it often.

Some very notable companies with manifestos are below…. Check them out and I hope they give you insight as they did me.

Lululemon is a fitness brand specializing in yoga attire and boasts what is perhaps the most recognizable manifesto, printed on red and white bags. “Breathe deeply” is one phrase easily spotted in the design, directly referencing an important facet of yoga.

 “Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.”

Livestrong’s manifesto clearly identifies who their brand is talking to and what tone they present to that audience.

There is a ton of information out there however this article is one of particular interest in reading and can also help you with identifying next steps.

17 Inspiring Brand Manifestos.

http://disenthrall.co/12-inspiring-brand-manifestos/

With that said it is time to get to MANIFESTING YOUR DESTINY!  Enjoy and be empowered!!

Leslie Crudup writes for The Business Liaisons, LLC – Business Consulting

www.thebusinessliaisons.com

A Mani...what? A Manifesto!!!

Oh no, not another term? A manicure...no!  A MANIFESTO?  Okay what is this?

A manifesto for you or your business is NOT anything new.  That I can tell you.  When I heard the term I immediately researched this only to find that manifestos are old hat to thriving businesses and brands. It is a commonly used term actually and it plays a major role in a company or business’s brand.

By definition….a manifesto is a written statement that declares or states a person’s or a business’s core values.  There are personal manifestos and there are those for a business.  For both it relates to that persons’ intentions, opinions and values.  It is a statement or series of statements or images even that define who you or your business is, what you stand for in belief and what your vision is for your business.

So there are vision boards, vision statements, mission statements and a few common avenues by which one is encouraged to clearly develop a goal or mission for yourself, be it personally or for your business.  A manifesto falls in line with this concept with the following exceptions.

A manifesto is BOLD and has energy!  Images of them as seen here carry appeal to the eye.  They evoke emotion and as a business the intention is that it speaks to the customer.
It does not have to be just words but can be images, statements or even video.  Unlike a vision board, it define more of who or what your company is in the present.  It is nice to address what we envision for the future but what are we standing for now…today.

We are in the age of defining ourselves.  We are in and alone as one person are our own brand.   We are now comparing our own personal convictions with how we conduct ourselves personally or business wise.  A manifesto helps us channel this into our business.  After all, we are our brand, right?

Having an attractive brand is important, but even more crucial is putting out a cohesive message. The company manifesto is not new, but it is trendy and serves as almost a new type of mission statement https://contently.com/strategist/2012/08/15/why-your-company-needs-a-manifesto/

So where do you even start with regard to a manifesto?  I suggest you take a piece of paper and start with yourself.  If you are building a business and you are trying to define your brand, what are your core values?  What do you believe in?  What makes your tick?  If you were your own customer, what type of person would you be?  Anything and everything about you that would attract YOU as a customer you need to put down on paper.  And to start I mean everything.  I did!  I put down what I want for my family?  What I struggle with as a parent, a citizen, a business owner...etc.  I wrote out my personal convictions about the state of the world and economics. I just about wrote a diary of my feelings on a number of topics and issues.  I then used this to identify my customer.  I used it to then tailor my business to this person.  This LESLIE that I have put down on paper. 

I will tell you it is not easy and it has taken me time. I am still in the process of completing my manifesto as we speak.

And you should take your time as well.  It is not something completed overnight and after it has completed you will need to revisit it often.

Some very notable companies with manifestos are below…. Check them out and I hope they give you insight as they did me.

Lululemon is a fitness brand specializing in yoga attire and boasts what is perhaps the most recognizable manifesto, printed on red and white bags. “Breathe deeply” is one phrase easily spotted in the design, directly referencing an important facet of yoga.

 “Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.”

Livestrong’s manifesto clearly identifies who their brand is talking to and what tone they present to that audience.

There is a ton of information out there however this article is one of particular interest in reading and can also help you with identifying next steps.

17 Inspiring Brand Manifestos.

http://disenthrall.co/12-inspiring-brand-manifestos/

With that said it is time to get to MANIFESTING YOUR DESTINY!  Enjoy and be empowered!!

Leslie Crudup writes for The Business Liaisons, LLC – Business Consulting

www.thebusinessliaisons.com