Promise & Secret Sauce

What makes your brand special?

When defining your Brand Strategy, or the first step in building your Strategic Marketing Playbook, it is critical to identify what you want to stand for in the minds of others. One of the seven deliverables that make up a Brand Strategy helps answer this question and is referred to as the Promise and Secret Sauce.

Think of this as what you “promise” to do that will make your Ideal Target’s life better, and the ways and proof that you are better and different vs. competition. It supports your purpose,  vision, mission, and “why we exist” statements.

Promise

How you are different?

The Promise is one sentence that is more than a slogan. It is what you “promise” your Ideal Target you will do to make their lives better every day. It is how you are different.

Secret Sauce

What you do that makes you different?

The Secret Sauce is 3 bullets that describe or prove how you are different from competition. Think of them as the mix (hence, the sauce) of your competitive advantages. It often includes a combination of the following: quality product, great people, and a unique process. It is what you do that makes you different.

Example

Mission: We use our service-oriented culture, innovative technology, and industry-proven curriculum to lead the natural gas industry in compliance and safety. 

Values: Integrity, Respect, Dedication, Quality, Teamwork, Problem Solvers, Ownership 

Promise: Peace-of-mind that you can maintain a safe and compliant program 

Secret Sauce: 

• Industry-Proven Solutions 
• In-depth Industry Expertise “Your Compliance Department In Your Back Pocket” 
• Platform to Easily Manage Your Program

Recap

• Marketing Pitfall #2: Not Having a Clear Brand Strategy
• Easiest Marketing  Wins #1: Be Very Clear on Who You Want to Serve