It’s time to start getting emotional with your customers. Have you ever thought about what your company stands for?
If making as much money as possible is your only goal, don’t expect your customers and employees to believe in your business.
Creating a positive, productive culture has the power to make prospective employees and customers want to partner with you, and — just as important — stay with you for the long term.
Believe it or not, if your company values are completely misplaced within society, your business isn’t likely to build a loyal customer base. Companies that keep values such as money at the centre of their values are quick to seem like they’re only in business for themselves and not much else.
Creating a company with a cause is vital to secure those loyal customers you’ve always wanted. Your company cause could demonstrate a range of values, such as wanting to make a difference in society or helping to benefit the environment. These kinds of values allow for your customers to create emotional connections with your brand and give them reasons to remain faithful. It’s important to note, however, that a cause is not the same as a mission. A cause is simple yet meaningful.
Dignified values = loyal customers
Great values lead to loyal customers that rally around your business and believe in what you stand for.
When you start to define your cause, it can be explained as a company’s vision that generates big effects and catalyses selfless actions. Thus, keep in mind that a cause is a piece of someone’s soul that ultimately gets people talking.
At the heart of creating an attachment to your customers will always be the art of forming emotional connections. Once these connections have been made, your customers are more likely to spread the word about your business, whether that be to friends and family or colleagues.
If you’re looking to build relationships with your customers, try to adopt a charitable cause and try selling dreams instead of products.
Renewable Google
We can look to Google for an exceptional example of a company that adopted a noble cause to create big effects on society. In fact, in 2007, they were one of the first major companies to reach carbon neutrality. 10 years later, Google then went on to achieve their 100% renewable energy target. Astonishingly, Google is now officially the largest renewable energy purchaser in the world and have pledged to help demonstrate a fully decarbonised future that is possible for everyone.
Companies like Google are showing that adopting a cause that correlates with a large majority of society is a useful base to start building emotional connections. Statistics also show that 75% of people are likely to start shopping at a company that supports an issue they agree with. Ultimately, we can establish that companies that engrain causes into their company values, win the hearts and minds of their audience.
Dreaming of products
It seems a common theme that the marketing world is becoming more complicated to infiltrate. This then poses the question of how does your company stand out in a sea of marketing material?
As consumers, we all enjoy a visually appealing dream caused by a product rather than the idea of spending money on said item. Therefore, as a company, you should sell the appealing dream with the hope that purchasing your products comes almost subconsciously to the customer. It is more important now than ever to sell a dream bigger than the product and that’s how your business will stand out.
An important part of selling a dream to your consumers is the way you do it. Demonstrate to your customers that your business is not based on superficial values. There must be substance at the core of your company. Don’t be fooled, using a dreamy slogan about how your product will change your customers’ life, is by no means the route to success.
A cause should be much more than a concept your marketing team has put together. A cause, to sell dreams, should embody important principles that can be enforced by your employees and leaders. From top to bottom, your company should radiate your beliefs and demonstrate this in everyday actions. Your marketing strategy should always be devised around your company’s causes.
A cause for change
Here are three steps to consider when building your brand with a cause:
- Decide what your company’s cause should be and how customers will react to this. Will they feel you’re helping to make the world a better place or not?
- Try and define the societal issues that are relevant to your target audience. You should also see how you can support those particular issues.
- Finally, sell dreams not products. Make clear points of how your company products improve lives and help to develop society.
Make sure you’re always challenging your business. Remember, find a cause that is bound to create an emotional connection with your audience.
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