Know exactly what your brand promises.

Imagine you build the most lavish three-legged table in the world.

You begin making it for a customer. Its base is sculpted from solid mahogany, each leg gracefully curved and carved with Baroque flourishes gilded in 24-karat gold leaf. In its deep, glossy surface you see the reflection of one favored by fortune. Indeed, Davinci himself would weep with envy.

You deliver this masterpiece to your customer. And they’re very upset.

Because you promised them a table with four legs.

The softest Italian velvet won’t change your customer’s feelings. To them, you aren’t the person who builds opulent three-legged tables—you’re the person who lies about four-legged tables.

A broken promise stings. When your brand’s messaging clashes with the experience it delivers, customers hesitate to keep engaging.

Clarity means knowing exactly what your brand promises and exactly what your brand delivers. Start with the truth, then build around it.