Three Questions that Form Your Authority Foundations
Published over 1 year ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader,
I'm out of the office on a much needed vacation. Of course, I didn't want to take a break from writing to you every Friday, so I thought I'd give you some prompts to ponder as you go on your authority building journey.
If you hit reply, I won't answer as quickly as normal, but I still love hearing from you—I'm just off riding my bike in Span. 🚴🏻♀️ 🇪🇸
In our approach, Alignthority™, the foundation lies in "Clarifying" your brand.
Sometimes I feel like "Clarify" is too broad or common of word to articulate the importance of this phase, but it's also 100% accurate in terms of representing the work we do.
It might sound simple, but it's crucial. Take a moment, grab a pencil and paper (or use your speech to text app), and answer these questions:
Why does your company exist? What drives you and your business? (This doesn't have to be lofty, if you're grounded stay grounded!)
What are your brand values? What principles guide your actions and what resonates with your audience? Have you shared the publicly or does it stay hidden?
What do you stand for (and against) in your industry? What unique mark do you want to leave?
Why are these questions important?
Identify your "why" and purpose: This shapes your vision, goals, and storytelling. There's a reason I ask a version of this on my inquiry form.
Connect with your audience: People are drawn to brands with shared values. Globally, around 70% of consumers say they prefer brands that align with their personal values. Documenting and sharing your values can be a big differentiator.
Differentiate yourself: Stand out and be memorable. Articulate the stamp you wish to make on your industry. Me? I want marketing to be a force for good. I want strategy to be accessible and actionable. I am against growth hacking, exploitation, and manipulation. These beliefs heavily influence HOW I talk about what I do, my content strategy, and how I choose to run my business. It's the heart of messaging and brand positioning.
When I say I want you to use these questions, I am absolutely serious. Use them, think on your answers, take action. Trust me, answering these questions will make a world of difference in your marketing strategy.
This is a "do the thing" newsletter, not a "think about the thing" newsletter. Okay? Okay!
Talk soon, Sarah
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As always, if you're in a timezone that's not within my normal availability, just reach out and we'll manually schedule you.