Brand values are the core beliefs of your brand (and why your business does what it does!) Understanding and utilising these values effectively can transform your brand marketing strategy, ensuring that every aspect of your marketing aligns with what your business stands for. By doing so, your marketing efforts are more likely to resonate with your target audience and be successful.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what brand values are and how to leverage them in your marketing.
What are brand values?
Brand values are the core principles or beliefs that a business stands for. They are the guiding stars that shape your brand’s identity, mission, and vision. These values influence everything from the tone of your branding content to the design of your business logo and the overall customer experience.
When clearly defined, brand values help build a consistent and authentic brand image that attracts and retains loyal customers, and helps your team work towards a mutual goal in the business.
Reasons why brand values are important:
Create consistency: Brand values ensure that all your marketing efforts are consistent. Whether it’s your social media posts, email campaigns, or the design of your business logo, having clear values helps maintain a cohesive brand image.
Build trust: Customers are more likely to trust and support brands that stand for something. When your brand values are clear and consistently communicated, it builds credibility and trust with your audience.
Point of difference: In a crowded industry, brand values can set you apart from competitors. They provide unique selling points that resonate with customers on an emotional level, making your brand much more memorable.
Guide decisions: Brand values serve as a framework for making business decisions. They ensure that every choice, from product development to customer service, aligns with what your brand stands for.
How to define your brand values
Reflect on your business’s mission and vision statements. Your brand values should align with your company’s mission and vision. Consider what your business ultimately aims to achieve and then refine it to detail how it does that. Having a clear vision will help direct your business and it’s marketing more effectively.
Know your audience well and understand what your customers value. Conduct surveys, engage with your audience on social media, and analyse feedback to learn and gain insight from those who are buying from you.
Get your team involved - trust me, it’ll be much more fun and helpful this way! Your employees are integral to your brand, and involving them in the process of defining your brand values, ensures the values are authentic and reflect the collective ethos of your business.
Keep your values simple. Aim for a few core values that are easy to understand and will be remembered by your team and customers. Avoid marketing jargon and focus on clear, meaningful principles that spark emotion and will fuel your brand.
Ways to apply brand values to your marketing strategy
Incorporate them into your content
Every piece of content you create should reflect your brand values. This includes blog posts, social media updates, videos, and any other content formats. For example, if one of your values is transparency, you might share behind-the-scenes looks at your production process, showcase your team or reveal how things get done in your business.
Design your business logo with your values in mind
Your logo is often the first visual representation of your brand that customers encounter. Make sure it reflects your brand values. For example, if sustainability is a core value, use eco-friendly colours and symbols.
Train your team on the brand values
Your employees should embody your brand values in their interactions with customers and around the workplace. By getting your team onboard, your brand values will trickle throughout the workplace and as a result, will create a vibe that mirrors the exact values your brand stands for!
Align your marketing campaigns
When planning marketing campaigns, use your brand values as a guide. For instance, a brand that values community involvement might run a campaign that supports local charities or gets loyal customers and ambassadors involved. If your marketing campaigns don’t align, they won’t shine!
Highlight values in all communications
Whether through email marketing, customer service interactions, or product packaging, consistently highlight your brand values. This reinforces your brand message and builds a deeper connection with your audience, generating brand loyalty and increasing the customer lifetime value.
Keep evolving
Regularly assess how well your marketing efforts are reflecting your brand values. Gather feedback from customers and your team, and make adjustments as needed to stay true to your brand’s core beliefs.
Some examples of great branding I personally love are Frank Body, Nike, Red Bull, Mecca and Stax Official. They all fully encompass their brand and have been successful in having their brand values trickle through to the masses.
Brand values are not just abstract concepts; they are the foundation of your brand’s identity and a powerful tool in your marketing kit. By clearly defining and consistently communicating your brand values, you can create a strong, authentic brand that truly resonates with your audience and creates an engaged community.
If you’re unsure about where to get started, get in touch with us! We’ll help you create a brand guide, build a website and develop a social media marketing strategy that collectively will help your brand shine.
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