Blog Post

What Do You Stand For? How To Communicate Company Values

  • By Mark Baker
  • 08 Jan, 2015

It doesn't take much savvy to realize that customer relationships are the lifeblood of any business. So how can you retain and nurture those relationships? In our experience, there's one facet of customer acquisition and retention that gets way too little press: shared values.

OUR VALUES, OURSELVES

What's a value, anyway? The dictionary defines the word as "a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life." Therein lies the key to shared values, when you share the same sense of what's important, you can build deep affinity with your customers, which is why learning how to communicate company values to your customers is imperative to your success.

Corporate values can affect everything from your hiring practices to the kinds of jobs you take on, the colleagues you share business with and how you operate your business on a day-to-day basis. As your company competes in an evermore-saturated space, it makes sense to play off of what you share with a potential or current customer.

In fact, sharing values can directly impact getting and keeping clients. In a recent study on brand loyalty, researchers found that nearly 30 percent of respondents attributed their brand loyalty to shared values.

WHAT DO YOU VALUE?

Unfortunately, sharing the same sense of what's important is only half the battle. Values are worthless if they're not communicated. Before you worry about broadcasting your beliefs, make sure your house is in order.

Create a mission statement. It's hard to put something into action if you don't know what that "something" is.

Work to develop a statement of values. Then post it in a prominent place, pass it out to your employees, and begin to figure out whether your behavior matches your actions.

Act with character. Actions are everything, so be sure your values shine through in everything you do. For example, you may say you value the environment, but if your fleet is seen belching huge amounts of exhaust into the air, you've got a values mismatch.

Make alliances. Find like-minded businesses and align around issues that matter to your company.

Get involved. Consider implementing a charitable-giving program that aligns with your corporate values.

LEARN TO SHARE

Now that you know you embody your values in everything you do, it's time to communicate with your clients. When it comes to relaying your values to a potential or existing client, you have two options: embody shared values with implicit communication or express those values explicitly. In our experience, it's best to try to achieve a balance between both.

First, take some time to think of ways you can implicitly and explicitly express your corporate values. Perhaps you need to start prospecting at relevant events or invest in a charitable sponsorship. Maybe it makes sense to express your environmental commitment openly to clients by asking them to help you engage in a transition to a paperless workplace, or maybe it's time to reword your contracts and agreements to emphasize timeliness and trust.

Once you've figured out both subtle and overt ways to convey your values, it's time to share--and keep sharing. True values aren't an event; they're an ongoing process that affects everything you do. So invest time and effort into finding out where your values lie, where they intersect with your customers, and how to support them over time. You might just be surprised at the improvements in client relations and retention.

Mark Baker

Mark Baker is a natural artist. Since starting his first business hand painting graphics onto vehicles in high school, Mark gained experience in the entertainment, sports, and retail industries before founding this company in 1993. Honest and pragmatic, Mark knows that anything can be accomplished with a great communication plan and creative thinking. 

Geared Up to Market Blog

By Mark Baker 26 May, 2017
Creating and executing a marketing campaign is challenging, no doubt. But follow this process, and you’ll watch your campaign soar.
By Mark Baker 09 May, 2017
Your brand is your company’s identity. Better make it a good one.
By Mark Baker 06 Apr, 2017
People often confuse the terms advertising and public relations. Here’s the difference and how use them both to your advantage.
More Posts
Share by: