1 Simple Way To Clearly Differentiate Your Brand
Photo by Cody Davis
It’s getting harder and harder to clearly differentiate your brand. And it’s not hard to believe given that the average consumer is exposed to anywhere between 4,000 and 10,000 ad messages a day! We remember not long ago when we quoted to business prospects that the number was closer to 500.
But let’s be honest: whether the number is 500 or 4,000, your prospect is facing a barrage of messages daily. Which means that as a marketer you must do remarkable work to (1) get your brand noticed, (2) then have a clear message and (3) finally connect with your audience.
Enter the benefit corporation.
For those who have not heard of this business entity available in 34 states and counting, the benefit corporation helps a business go beyond its mission of making a profit to positively impacting its community and environment. In other words, instead of just enriching shareholders a business is also sharing its wealth with stakeholders.
Why would a business do such a thing?
Well, let us look at a few numbers from Cone Communications 2018 Study on Brand Purpose:
78% of Americans believe companies must do more than just make money; they must positively impact society as well
77% feel a stronger emotional connection to purpose-driven companies over traditional companies, 79% say they are more loyal and 73% are willing to defend that company if someone spoke badly of it
78% would tell others to buy products from purpose-driven companies, and 68% are more willing to share content with their social networks over that of traditional companies
Now let’s take a look around the subject of recruitment and three key findings from Cone Communications 2016 Study on Employee Engagement:
93% want to work for a company that cares about them as an individual
74% say their job is more fulfilling when they are provided opportunities to make a positive impact at work
51% won’t work for a company that doesn’t have strong social and environmental commitments
So, what can we conclude from this data?
To us, it’s clear that today’s consumers want to do business with companies that are committed to doing good in addition to making a profit. And when it comes to prospective employees, more than half want to work for an organization that has “strong social and environmental commitments.”
All of which leads us back to the “differentiation” challenge discussed at the beginning of this blog.
Because by becoming a certified benefit corporation, you’re helping prospective consumers and employees separate your business from others as one focused on the greater good. As one doing more than “just making money.” As one that helps employees “make a positive impact at work.”
Get your brand noticed? Check.
Have a clear message? Check.
Connect with your audience? Check.
To learn more about why a company should certify (from a client’s perspective), we suggest you read this informative post from the leader of a certified B Corps, certified 1% for the Planet and certified Benefit Corporation for Good.
—>Learn more about the 6 simple steps to becoming a certified Oregon Benefit Company or benefit corporation.
~benefitcorporationsforgood.com~