As an entrepreneur, you don’t just sell your products or services. You are selling something more. The unique emotion that customers get from buying your product can translate into long-term loyalty from your consumers over time.
A company without values is like a house without a foundation
If someone were to name you the 10 most famous brands right now, you would surely be able to immediately answer what these brands evoke in you. But what would people say if they were asked what your brand evokes in them? Values are the face of any business. There are some people who will find you attractive, some who will find you less so, some who will love you for the way you present yourself and others who will ridicule you. But that’s cool.
The most important thing is that as a company you have a clear goal that you want to achieve, that you have your own attitudes that you stand for and your own, inimitable self. Don’t be afraid to claim that your services or products are not for everyone. Be a brand that is authentic and that carries values that your target audience will say they have something in common with your brand.
You’re not doing it for yourself, you’re doing it for the people
If you are in business, you undoubtedly put a lot of effort into making your business work and what you sell have class. Despite your dedication to your business, the main “star” of your marketing is someone other than you – it’s your customers. People naturally only like to hear positive things about themselves and are pleased when someone appreciates their existence. Also, all of us, whether we realize it or not, long to belong somewhere, to be part of something bigger.
That’s why it’s good to have values set right from the start of the business. If you have them set, it’s much easier to come up with new business activities, which, after all, don’t even have to be directly related to what you’re doing. As such, these activities and overall values work well in creating a strong long-term relationship between the company and the customer. Be creative and give people what none of your other competitors will give them – whether materially (a discount, a free product) or emotionally. If you want to get something, you have to give something first.
“People don’t read ads, they only read what interests them. And sometimes it’s also advertising. “
Even a small brand can overcome the bigger ones with emotion
You’re selling a new product and you want people to try it and like it. In order for them to try it, they have to buy it in the first place. This is exactly the moment when customer trust and emotion towards your brand is very important. In case you have a big name and a good reputation in the market, it will go a little easier for you. If not, it’s time to use a few emotional hooks in your marketing. At this point, it doesn’t matter if you are a small or large company.
Your customers are still flesh-and-blood people with desires and emotions. Show them something that makes them think, or change their perspective on something. Make the connection between what you want people to know about your product and what they are actually interested in. As Howard Gossage said, “People don’t read ads, they only read what interests them. And sometimes that’s advertising.”
Create strong customer-brand camaraderie
Imagine you are in a meeting with your friend. Would you be impressed by the fact that he would spend the whole time giving a monologue about how good he is, what he did last month and what size shoes he is? Or would he start off with a short story from the weekend, ask you about what you’re experiencing right now, compliment you on your jacket, and offer you your favorite chocolate as you leave?
It is better to communicate with your customers as mentioned in the second case. You who sell are the ones who want something from people. Give people what they want first, selflessly, and you will win their sympathy. If they don’t buy anything from you right away, they will at least have a good opinion of your brand and will subconsciously think of you as someone they will want to buy something from someday.
How do we handle our values in Progness?
Our core mission is to help smaller and medium-sized businesses transform into the digital world. Another of our values is the happiness that results from our work. We have shown that we can lend a helping hand at the time of greatest need in our Helping Entrepreneurs and Freelancers campaign. We selected 3 crisis-hit entrepreneurs and gifted them with a basic digital marketing package, which we gave them free of charge for 1 and a half months.
In addition, we don’t just keep our knowledge of online marketing to ourselves, we spread it further. Prognessa Academy training helps entrepreneurs from different industries understand social media, branding and selling on online platforms. This is just part of what makes us more than just an agency selling our services.
