Businesses nowadays have it easy in some aspects but the marketing is way more complex than before. It requires clarity on many levels including the traditional marketing aspects like the target market, unique selling proposition (USP) and brand positioning. What’s new to the mix, however, is the importance of brand vision, the authentic brand voice, transparency and brands’ support for socio-political or environmental causes and issues.

CRM is nothing new but a brand that doesn’t stand up for justice or speaks out against injustice is now perceived as part of the problem. It’s the whole 99% population of the world versus the 1% ruling elites.

The anger didn’t start today, it’s built up over decades and businesses MUST make a conscious decision to be a part of the change or maintain the status quo and be perceived as part of the problem.

In this digital world perception is everything!

Know Your Ideal Client

Sometimes taking a stand or supporting a controversial issue will cost the company some sales from some customers, but they’ll gain support from other areas along with respect. It means the brand ICA may slightly change when the company realizes it’s own authenticity – but it will gain respect from it’s true followers who’ll end up being more loyal.

Since it’s about knowing your niche and your tribe, knowing where your ICA stands on issues that are important to the business as well is the ideal meeting ground  connector.

People nowadays buy from brands they really connect with – not those who push their products – those who stand up for the same values as them. You can build trust over time with tips, freebies and by being a great resource to your customer. But understand this certainty, when the time comes they’ll ALWAYS choose the business who stood up for the same beliefs and values. 

To understand brand values the business must know its customers and its own vision.

Know Your Vision

Having a clear brand vision helps visualize and clarify how the company sees itself in the world – a dream scenario. 

It’s how a company wants the world around them to be. That world affects everyone who lives in it – not just their customers. It’s bigger than the brand and the customer but knowing this can help narrow down the important aspects. Aspects that require focus going forward.

It’s helpful when this broad ideal vision can be used into implementable steps and that happens when other aspects are brought into the mix. Things like the ICA’s values, businesses’ own available resources and capacity.

Combining these factors brings clarity on what issues to focus on and how to do it. Being transparent as a brand and having a clear voice to speak on issues that matter to the customer is truly important now to many people. 

Take a Stand

The right language, tone and words connect a brand to its customer but if the customer cares about certain issues (no matter how sensitive or controversial) an authentic brand is expected to take a stand as well. 

It’s understandable if brands don’t want to be controversial because they don’t want to lose some customers but they must realize being perceived as silent (when it counts) will ultimately affect their business even more. Their silence may be perceived negatively by their core customer.

Standing up doesn’t have to be activism. It can be other softer things like diversity training, boycotting certain suppliers or delivery companies, offering support and safe space for customers to share their views without judgment and respecting their right to do so. 

It’s about understanding what the customer needs at that point. Each company and each business will have to make that call for themselves. It’s not easy but it must be done now rather than later.

Follow Up

Businesses must know they are being watched all the time in this digital age. If they make a statement or take out an ad in support or against any issue, they must follow through. That means consistency. Otherwise they’ll face a backlash and called ‘clout-chasers’ who take up ‘trendy’ issues. No company, no matter how large or small, would want that. 

Being perceived that way would jeopardize trust built with their audience. Remember it takes time to build trust but like any relationship, it takes one mistake to ruin it all! 

Conclusion

It’s not easy to navigate through these potential landmines. Businesses will make errors in judgment along the way as they’re run by flawed humans with their own perceptions, values and beliefs. 

It’s important however to realize we are all humans who make mistakes but it’s more important to learn from these mistakes and acknowledge them. Vow as a business to learn and improve, share your vulnerability and any steps planned to move in that direction. 

Know that others are watching and they’ll hold you to that promise. 

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