The difference between Brand Vision and the Vision of Your Success

Brand vision is often seen as that statement that encapsulates your purpose and that inspires you, your people and your customers. It should be aspirational and inspirational, and should answer the question ‘If my company becomes successful it will…’

These are some example of great brand vision statements:

But is a vision enough as a driver for your company’s success?

It’s been more than 4 years since I started my company, KnowThyBrand. In these years I have been fortunate enough to work with very different types of clients, from established brands to tiny start-ups, on very different projects. Over time I have developed my own Strategic Brand Tool that I often use with clients. This encompasses all the components of a strong brand like Value Proposition, Mission, Values, Brand Personality and Vision, amongst others.

This tool has evolved since the first time I used it, and I regularly update it to ensure that it provides the most appropriate solutions for creating strong brands. My next update will be about the brand vision.

It is widely accepted that a brand vision ‘Aside from expressing your aspirations and dreams for your company, it also provides the framework for all strategic planning’.

A brand vision should be inspirational and aspirational, it should be the compass of your brand strategy. However, while I will always advocate the importance of a strong brand vision, I recently realised that is simply not enough, particularly not for start-ups.

Imagine a generic start-up, their vision could be something along the lines of ‘to become the brand of choice when it comes to [their specific niche product] in 5 years’. This is aspirational, inspirational and it also offers a quantitative sense of time. It’s also great for clients, that can understand what the company stands for, and for present and future employees, to see how their work contributes to the achievement of that vision.

But the life of an entrepreneur is not easy.

In the process of striving to make their business reach their vision, there will be good and bad days, days when you think you can do it all and days when you will want to give up and go back to working for someone else.

So, what can help you, the entrepreneur, stay motivated during stormy days? In my experience, it’s what I call the Vision of Your Success. This is that clear image in your mind of your success. It could be you shaking hands with the Prime Minister, holding a meeting with your C-level employees in the boardroom of your head office, seeing your product on a supermarket shelf, speaking in front of your 1,000+ employees presenting the latest product of your business, or simply you in your office knowing that your company is going to close another profitable year in which you had a really good time doing what you enjoy. Whatever that image is, hold on tight to it. Because when things get shaky, and you feel like giving up, if you focus on that image you will know that giving up you will never get there.

Having built a start-up myself I fully understand the hurdles that new entrepreneurs face, and that’s why I focus so much on starting with a strong brand. Building a strong brand is the foundation of a company’s success, and the very first step to ensuring that the Vision of your Success will come true.

Giulia Iannucci is a brand strategist and digital marketing consultant with 14 years of experience gained across the EU, Australia, Asia and the UK. Founder of her own business, KnowThyBrand, Giulia helps her clients position their brand as the cornerstone of their company, and guide them in creating professional and compelling digital marketing campaigns.


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