We talk a lot in this business about “the why behind your what.” In building client loyalty, it’s so important to communicate to your audience the stories behind the business you’re running, because it’s those stories that endear you to your audience as you share authentically {and sometimes vulnerably}. You can hear more from Marie in this 6-minute video, or read on for all the deets on how you can use your values to improve your content and increase income {along with your impact!}.
When we meet with our clients, as we start getting deeper into the WHY behind our client’s WHAT, we start digging into the core things, the foundational things.
We ask questions like:
- What are your business’s values?
- Who exactly is your audience?
- How do you connect with them?
- What do you want to be known for?
And you know what? A really cool phenomenon starts happening: It gets really intimate.
No, not in a weird way, but in a good way. Because as our clients start remembering those foundational elements of WHY they started this crazy entrepreneurial ride in the first place, the original dream starts taking shape again, but in renewed form! {In fact, think of it kind of like a spa treatment for your dream. Maybe it was getting stiff and stale, and needed some attention!}
Find your sweet spot by identifying your values
As our clients start remembering what their goals were in beginning their journey, and as they talk about the subjects and issues that really motivate and inspire them, they start sharing with us some previously unspoken desires to support “x” cause or the “y” movement. They ruminate about how they want to not only make connections, make space for their clients, and make a profit, but how they also want to effectuate change. Real change.
This, friends, is your sweet spot. Because when you are operating your business out of a place deeper than just a desire to make bank, you find yourself with more energy, enthusiasm, and effectiveness.
Even better? It increases your audience and your influence. Working within those emotions and those motivations is a key part in building client loyalty, because people love to be inspired.
Dream with us for a minute. What would that look like, if you could actually make that happen — increasing your income AND impact? Does it get you excited? Do you get an adrenaline rush just imagining it? Imagining your business being an actual contributor to a change in your industry and beyond? Your business helping shape and reshape conversations around the status quo?
This, friends, is your sweet spot. Because when you are operating your business out of a place deeper than just a desire to make bank, you find yourself with more energy, enthusiasm, and effectiveness.
As you’re soaking in those feelings, let’s take a minute to identify what it is that’s holding you back from moving forward with those ambitions. Sometimes, it’s that you’re overwhelmed by what’s already on your plate. Other times, it may be fear of failure. And, for some, it might be a fear of looking like you’re bragging.
What do we mean by that?
Admit it: we all have issues. Especially when it comes to money. And in our culture, going public with the good you’re doing with your money can carry a certain stigma with it. After all, you don’t want to feel like you’re bragging about how awesome and generous you are.
But let’s really look at that emotion. Let’s look at marketing, even. What is marketing? What is sales? It’s, in a sense, bragging about what makes you or your product unique. What makes you special. What makes you stand out above the rest. And no one chides you for that!
So we’d like to propose that talking about those causes that are near and dear to your heart should just be another aspect of your marketing plan in building client loyalty. After all, “branding” is essentially just letting the public – and your audience – know who you are. And when you pull back the curtain on the good you are doing in private, you are really just letting your audience know the whole person, the whole product. The authentic brand. {Isn’t authenticity what we’re after?}
Letting your audience in
We’re not saying you have to blow your cover for all your random acts of kindness or that you should quit giving anonymous gifts. By all means, if you enjoy that, then go for it.
We’re simply suggesting that if you will let your audience into those places where you are championing a worthy cause or giving back to your community or financing a movement, they will love you for it. They’ll love you even more! Isn’t that the kind of client loyalty you want to build?
It’s not manipulative, it’s not just to tug on your audience’s heartstrings. It’s opening your life up to your audience in a way that reveals your true self and the heart behind your business. The “why behind the what.”
Considering the good you are doing
Two significant effects of talking publicly about your giving:
1) It attracts more people to you, the kind of people who align with your vision and values.
2) It allows you to get closer to your goal of effectuating real change in the areas you are wanting to impact.
Because as you champion those causes, you are going to attract more clients who care about what you care about. As you attract more clients, your influence increases. It’s a continuous cycle, and completely win-win!
The impact piece
The impact piece is an integral part of your business messaging strategy. It helps you attract the right audience, grow your influence, build client loyalty, and effectuate change.
Ask yourself:
- What are my business goals in the next 12-24 months?
- What are the values that I am not willing to compromise to help me reach those goals?
You can demonstrate your commitment to those values in many ways, like how you conduct yourself on a day-to-day basis, how you express yourself in your content, dealing with customer support, the policies you put into place, etc.
Additionally, you can align your business with your core values in the causes you support, the initiatives you get behind, and the way you empower your audience to join you in making real impact.
And here’s a little secret: When your audience feels like they get to be world changers just by being your client, you’ll have fans for life. Now that’s the kind of authentic client loyalty you want to build!
Stay tuned for more on how to use those big things you care about in conjunction with that big thing you do. In the meantime, set aside some time to ask yourself those deeper questions and remind YOURSELF of your “why behind the what.”
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be talking about the important elements in messaging your give-back strategy and using your core values as a launching point for effectuating change, growing your business, and making an impact where it matters {to you} most.
This is part of our #changethestars campaign, where we not only re-focus on our own giving at North Star, but we encourage you to do the same.