As a full-service Denver Marketing Agency, Webolutions observes many marketplace trends. One of the most prolific trends we see today is what we call Transparency Marketing.
We have loosely defined Transparency Marketing as:
The art of sharing the essence of your company and what it stands for in order to create an actively engaged community around your brand.
On the surface this might sound easy, but to successfully achieve this goal, requires some time of real introspection and focus. Let’s explore the key elements of this statement.
Sharing – In today’s multi-channel, communications environment, effectively sharing your message requires the effective use of multiple tools. The primary clearinghouse for all your shared information should be your website. This is your official hub. Then, your information should be shared via word of mouth, RSS, social media, press releases, ads, and a well-structured email communications plan. Following this plan, will allow you to be consistent in your messaging. Your community will now be able to go to your website and read, or speak with you, or follow you on Twitter/Facebook, or read about you in the news, or see your ads, or receive your message via email and all these communications will convey the same compelling messages.
The essence of your company and what it stands for – This is where the transparency comes in. What is the essence of your company and what does it stand for? Here are some huge hints to help you with this. This has nothing to do with:
- the product or service that you sell
- the resulting benefits your customers will receive from using your product or service
This has everything to do with:
- why you do what you do each day (what truly drives you? This cannot be $)
- the special things that make your company culture great
- how you impact lives
- your beliefs about the world and your role in it
Discovering your true transparency requires a deep look in the mirror. It is all about recognizing what you believe about the world and what impact you are crating in it and then associating these realities with moments of happiness in people’s lives. By sharing this impact and creating these genuine ties, you will set yourself apart from all those competitors who are simply pushing their products or selling based on discounts and special offers. You can make your product or service stand for something and communicate your value far more effectively to the part of the human brain which actually makes the buying decisions.
Create an actively engaged community around your brand – creating an actively engaged community around your brand requires that you add value to your community. This value can take many forms including:
- humor
- insights (thought leadership)
- life improving ideas (time management, recipes, etc..)
- connections
- etc…
but, in order to actively engage and keep people engaged, this information will often reach far beyond your specific products and services. Again, think about what you believe about the world and those things that your brand stands for. Then, you can determine what messages will best engage your community.
Engagement means participation and dialogue. The more these occur, the more your messages are resonating with your community. If you are simply posting content and no one is participating, you are not engaging your community.
How to use this Information
Review your messaging by looking at your website. Determine if your primary messages are all about:
- What your product or service is
- How you ensure a great experience
- Or why you do what you do
Odds are you are mostly talking about your products and services and how you are better than your competitors. Begin exploring why you do what you do, how you are making a difference in the world and what transparency you can begin to share to truly create an actively engaged community around your brand.
If you could use some help exploring your transparency and how to best approach this area of marketing, please give Webolutions a call at 303-300-2640. We believe in making a difference in people’s lives. We would be happy to provide you with a complimentary mini one-on-one session to help get the ball rolling for you.
To comment on this post, please share your insights with our readers (via your comments below).
