When it comes to marketing and communications there’s lots of talk about brand alignment, core values, and brand authenticity. The truth is, those have always been important, but the more virtual and online our lives have become, the more we seek genuine connection and authenticity. Your customers, audience, or clientele need experiences that are transparent, real, and engaging. They want trust in the buying experience and the brands they support to – quite frankly, my dear – give a damn.
It’s time to stop hiding behind norms, trying to be something you’re not, or trying to put on another persona that you think others perceive you (or want you) to be. As a branding agency, it’s hard for us not to notice when we see small businesses getting tripped up trying to be someone (or something) they are not. Our number one piece of advice to all of our clients is to embrace who you are, the way you do things, your services and your brand. In other words, speak to the value you bring to your authentic brand and let that frame how you present your brand to the world. If that scares you, then you may have a little work to do.
Why brand authenticity matters.
“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”
–often attributed to Oscar Wilde, but source unknown
Here’s the thing. Thanks to social media and the world wide web, it doesn’t take long for someone to be “found out” for being inauthentic. Everything is searchable and, according to Local Consumer Review Survey 2023, “87% of consumers used Google to evaluate local businesses.” So if you jumped on a political bandwagon with little follow-through, made a snarky remark to a client in comments, or posted an inauthentic photo and tried to pass it off as anything else, well, you will be found out.
In an age when everything is available to the public, what better brand strategy is there than to just be you? Instead of trying to be just like the competition, embrace the unique elements that you bring to the table. If you are super efficient and honest to a fault with your clients, you can get away with sounding impatient and a little bit cranky online. As long as you are in alignment with your core values, messaging, and voice, that will help you convey your purpose quickly and efficiently.
For Millennials and GenZ alike, a brand’s purpose is important in their decision to buy. They assess how a company is “doing good” in the world before deciding to buy from or support the brand. Is it intrinsic to the brand or manufactured? They can spot artificial, fake, or imposter with little effort. Authenticity can help build trust as well as loyalty.
In a world where social media and online environments are the norms, brand authenticity rises above the clutter. If you can be authentic in the things you do and say, then your customers will do your marketing for you through word-of-mouth, bypassing those potential roadblocks.
How to make your brand more authentic.
When you are genuine, messages and ideas resonate naturally and powerfully with your audience and can provide potent differentiation. When authenticity is embraced as a core value, not only does it help serve the customer, but your team can feel empowered as well. People perform better when they can be themselves and when they are aligned with their employer’s core values.
When you have clarified your brand and confirmed alignment with your values and purpose, it’s time to make it apparent in social media and across communications platforms. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Just be you. Be real. Be honest. Share your purpose, share your values and what you stand for, and then make sure that your brand communications support all of that. The most successful brands have defined their mission and their purpose, and even some of their aspirations. They share how they give back or what they’re doing to create meaning in the world. These are some of the essential building blocks of your brand and can serve as a guide and inspiration for years.
2. Show and tell. Be sure that you are sharing stories and showing or demonstrating how you deliver on your promises. Are you walking the talk? If you can’t back up your claims with honest actions, it’s time to take another look. Share stories of mistakes that taught great lessons, happy accidents that happened along the way, or the impact, even if small, that was made by aligning with your values.
3. Be in conversation. A successful brand is sharing what you have with the world when you can; educate and add value to the general public, and not just your clientele. It’s a way to not only get attention but to highlight your deep knowledge and expertise. Be involved in the conversations important to your industry, comment on others’ successes, and share insights when it’s aligned with your areas of expertise.
4. Be consistent. Spend some time looking at the places where you can be consistent. Does your website match your social media content? Does your newsletter match your marketing materials? Are you writing and speaking with the same brand voice and aesthetic?
5. Check your alignment. If you’re just posting things to be in a conversation that you are not genuinely a part of, stay out of it or commit to deeper exploration. For example, many companies rather blindly commented on or claimed support of DEI practices in light of events in 2020, but had no meaningful policies and practices in place. On the other hand, if you are an engineering design firm, celebrating “pi day” on March 14th or STEM Day in November to encourage kids to pursue more math and science disciplines could be a fun fit!
Authenticity leads to trust.
Brand authenticity is about being genuine. When you live and lead in your truest form, you communicate openly and simply, you build stronger, more trusting foundations – both inside your company culture and with your community. Ultimately, by staying consistent and honest as a brand, you earn trust and respect, and really, isn’t that the best way to do business?
Need help defining your brand purpose and creating a more authentic brand? Reach out to insight180. We’d love to help!
— Wendy Baird, president, and brand strategist
