Warning: The urgency in this writing might make me a bit of a Debbie Downer for you today. But my heart aches for the droves of small businesses like yours that suffer for the lack of one simple, yet essential resource: Purpose.

Purpose is the fuel needed to drive your business every day. It is the reason WHY your business exists – beyond making a profit or gaining fame. Furthermore, it guides the HOW and WHAT in your business.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s possible to experience some measure of success without a clear purpose, but to withstand the challenges of business and achieve sustainable success you really must understand your company’s reason for being.

It wasn’t that long ago when I began asking myself why I do the work I do beyond making a profit. Socialicia (my social media management business at the time of this writing) does a lot of good to help entrepreneurs grow their business, but why does it do it? Through prayer and over time the answer was revealed to me: “To get good around.” Eloquent wording, maybe not, but it rang true to me – for me. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. This isn’t a marketing message, it’s a root truth principle that will help me focus the efforts of my company and set the direction for the work it does.

Defining your company’s purpose just isn’t optional. You need a propellant to keep you moving forward through the haze of uncertainty in business. A purpose aligns your past with your future to calibrate the choices you make today. It keeps your decisions oriented in direct line with your passion while pointed toward a vision to improve the lives of the people your company is meant to serve.

And while the necessity of purpose is internal, it does fuel your marketing as well. Your messages can resonate deeply with your audience when you speak to values and causes they can feel.

When that cause isn’t felt in your communications, you’re far less likely to reach your customer segments. You’ll attempt to fuel your marketing with substitute materials like impressive features, business stats, trendy topics, or attractive discounts. In the end, however, none will offer the power or effectiveness of a purpose that aligns your values with those of your best customers.

Don’t make your small business sputter down the road of entrepreneurship any longer. Give it the power and confidence of purpose with a clearly understood reason for being. That clarity wins customers and gives you the creativity you need to outpace competitors and achieve great things.

If you’ve never taken the time to define your business’s purpose, check out my next article. It offers a simple exercise that may help you get started.