Consumer activism is on the rise. Supported by access to more information via social channels and digital devices, 87 percent of today’s consumers would purchase a product based on values, and 76 percent would boycott a brand if it supported an issue contrary to their beliefs.
As customers look to delve deeper and learn more, making your business more transparent can help drive growth by forging stronger connections and increasing loyalty. Here are some ways you can tell your business’s unique story:
Start a company blog
Blog posts can tell the story of your business in a more casual, friendly way. When done well, they go beyond the marketing speak found on many business’ “about us” pages to humanize the company and create personalized engagement with customers.
To get your employees – your best brand ambassadors – on board, divvy up the writing among interested people. Start off by brainstorming topics – perhaps there’s part of your business’ culture that you’d like to highlight (maybe you’re a local dentist office that has Friday team-building lunches), or a customer-oriented task your team especially enjoys (perhaps you’re a restaurant that has regular staff tastings of new dishes).
Once you have topics for the next six months, you can develop a calendar to keep everyone on track and stick to a manageable schedule. Keeping to a regular cadence of posts can help sustain interest among readers.
When drafting posts, it’s best to make them succinct. Adding visual content such as video and photography can increase views by as much as 94 percent, while tying into local or national news topics can keep posts relevant.
Show off your business through “customer appreciation” events
Hosting events is a great way to showcase your business to your customer base and local partners. It’s a chance to show your appreciation for them and be transparent about what you do and how you do it.
You could host a company “Open House,” giving customers a tour of your workplace and your latest gadgets, and a chance to chat with your team. To appeal to families, incorporate games and activities for children to do while their parents learn about your unique offerings.
You could also broaden the appeal of the event by making it educational. Say you’re an auto repair shop, you could give a free live demo to customers on how to change a tire, check the oil, or how to jumpstart a dead battery. Adding a how-to element to the day helps to attract a wider audience.
Why not make this a regular occasion, say once a quarter? To spread the word ahead of time, make sure to share updates leading up to the event on social media and via your email distribution lists, and hand out printed flyers outlining the day’s activities.
Rally around causes on social media
By strategically tapping into social, you can spread the word about your business and showcase your core values to potential customers in a far-reaching, affordable way.
As a first step, take time to share posts and advocate for other organizations that you support. Maybe you’re a restaurant owner eager to advocate for budding chefs in your local area. You could like and share tweets from nonprofits that support younger people looking to get into the business. Additionally, make sure to amplify what you and your employees are up to. Perhaps you’re a local doctor’s office and a staff member is speaking at an upcoming conference. Draft a short update to share this and post it on LinkedIn to target a professional audience.
As customers increasingly seek to look behind the curtain, embrace the chance to show off your business by leveraging all the resources and channels available. Opening up about your people and your values can create a bond that goes beyond products and services and is therefore deeper and longer-lasting.