Customers’ values: the new branding tool

When you go to a Whole Foods Market, the shopping conversation – the brand story – is largely about values. When you enter the front door this retailer lets you know that your choices matter. It’s about the values you act on in your life, including when you make shopping choices – it’s not just price. You’re acting on your concerns about community, local sourcing, organics, sustainability and more.

RETAILERS HAVE TO BE MORE THAN LOW-COST PRODUCTS AND SALES

I particularly noticed this when I came to the checkout area. While waiting patiently in line one sees, just beyond the checkout stand, a series of posters that clearly declare, if not scream, WE ARE COMMITTED to non-profits, to local events and to local business. We give back to your community and support your values. In fact, we are part of your community. So, as you hand over the money for fairly expensive purchases, you know three things – the food here is healthy, it’s safe and it’s locally sourced as much as possible. You may be paying more but look at all these cool things Whole Foods is supporting! You get the feeling that the extra amount you may be spending is going to something worthy and good, something that you may be connected to or are committed to and is a part of your local community. They’re not just another big corporation (Whole Foods is publicly traded, by the way and its shares are up).

COMMUNITY VALUES ARE WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT

This new way of marketing and branding, what I call customer-values marketing, goes beyond why a product or brand is such a good deal to the values your purchases support. We care about what you care about and we are in it for more than the money. Consumers at all levels are growing to expect this now. Chipotle, which is nothing more than a burrito store, focuses, obsesses and cares about the quality of their ingredients, their vendors and sustainably supporting the agricultural economy, or at least the part they support – that’s a big promise.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY COMES FROM KNOWING YOU “BELONG” TO THE RIGHT BRAND, LIKE BEING IN A CLUB THAT REPRESENTS YOU

Think about Radio Shack, now in bankruptcy with half its 7,000 stores sold to Sprint: they blew it years ago by not focusing on more than just selling stuff. They could have been an amazing leader in the maker movement, providing tons of cool electronics that allow kids and hobbyists to make their own stuff, while supporting schools and sponsoring local events. This pivot to new brand values would have created a whole new class of loyal customers begging to pay for the stuff they want to support innovative thinking and creativity. Instead they ended up as a low cost cell phone provider – sorry, we have enough of those.

CREATING BRANDS THAT FOCUS ON CUSTOMER’S VALUES BECOMES YOUR BRAND’S VALUES – THIS IS YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Your goal in whatever customer-focused business you operate today should be to understand the values of your customers, what they care about, and then build your brand, your relationship, your commitment around those values. Use social media tools to bring them in the door and make your customers your champions!