Authenticity and Transparency

There’s no doubt about it. The consumer market has evolved exponentially with the multitudes of products and services available to us. 

Take a product like milk for example … 

There once was a time when the only kind of milk available was whole milk (sourced from a cow) and the only way to get it was from a milk delivery service.  

It eventually became available at local markets, including the introduction of different fat variances (skim milk, 2% milk, and whole milk).  

Then organic and A2 specific cow options arrived, followed by more and more competing brands. 

Somewhere in that timeline was the onset of different source choices of milk. Soy milk, goat milk, rice milk, oat milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, almond milk, etc. 

Let’s not forget all the different variations to some of those milk sources too (vanilla, plain, chocolate, unsweetened, etc.)

You get the idea. 

Choices, choices, and then more choices.  

Here’s a fun fact that might surprise you …

The average adult makes more than 35,000 decisions per day.  

Hard to believe? 

Now think about all the decisions you make on just ONE product … Again, going back to the one example of milk.

You may think to yourself: What’s the best value? Which is better for me and my particular circumstance? What’s the better brand? What size do I need? 

With all the options available to us for nearly every product out there in the marketplace, it’s almost impossible not to become overwhelmed. 

So much so, there’s actually a name for it. 

It’s called the Paradox of Choice.  

It’s a phenomenon that is quickly becoming an increasing concern in our world of seemingly endless access to such a vast array of products and services. 

What’s really interesting, is contrary to what we might believe to be the case, according to this paradox, the more options (or choices) we are given, the harder it is for us to make a decision. 

In fact, in some cases, a decision is NOT made at all by the consumer out of fear of making the wrong choice.

As a business owner trying to sell your product or service, where does that leave you in such a fierce and competitive market? 

The answer is simple. 

It leaves you with a BIG opportunity.  

An opportunity to capture your market and make your company, product, or service the only choice in your prospect’s mind. 

And it's not as hard as you may think to accomplish this. To a varying degree, it's as easy as just being yourself … 

It’s called being Authentic. 

When a consumer feels the brand/company is authentic and transparent, brand trust is established. 

Transparency + Authenticity = Brand Trust 

You’ve heard me say this time and again. 

The importance of TRUST. 

It’s vital piece to the sustainability and growth of any business.  

Why? Because it’s a critical competitive differentiator in the marketplace, no matter what product or service you offer.  

Now what do I exactly mean by transparency and authenticity?  

When a brand is transparent, it reveals important information to the consumer market about their operations, their goals, their core values, their mission, etc. 

This kind of transparency allows the prospect to align with their company or brand. 

When they feel aligned, they resonate at a higher level with their company or brand. 

One element of transparency may be simply giving the buyer confidence to buy from you without worry.  

Amazon is a great example of this. 

Part of why Amazon has managed to gain such a huge foothold in so many markets is because of their no-hassle return policy that is communicated clearly and simply. No fine print, just no-hassle. Period.  

But it’s not just about talking the talk — it’s also about walking the walk.  This is where authenticity comes in.

A company cannot be authentic without first being transparent. 

A company really has to live by their core values and stand behind their promises 100% to really prove they are authentic. It’s as simple as that. 

Can you stand behind your brand promise 100%? 

How transparent and authentic is your company or brand from where your ideal audience resides?  

Here are my 4 tips on how to achieve transparency and authenticity quite effortlessly: 

1. Let your audience know who you are.

In order to build a relationship with someone, you need to know who they are. The same holds true for your prospects. So be real. Tell your story. Share your experiences. The more real you are, the more your audience will resonate with you. 

Another great way companies do this is by giving their audience a behind-the-scenes look inside your company. 

In a recent newsletter, I talked about how our team incorporates SNAPs into our weekly meetings. So, we decided to record an actual team meeting and post it online to show others how to integrate something similar with their team. We received so much positive response and praise from viewers. First, it gave them the opportunity to feel more aligned with us, and our company values. 

Second, they appreciated that we practiced what we preached, which leads me right into #2… 

2. Practice what you preach.   

This is one of my favorites, because it's one of our core values here at Business Nitrogen. It’s darn near impossible to align or even resonate with a company that doesn’t even“buy in” to what they are promoting or communicating. I already gave you an example of this above. Another great example can be found in a short article a colleague shared with me. It’s worth a quick read: GANDHI STORY 

3. Do what you say you’re going to do. 

With the rise of online reviews and social media as trusted recommendation sources, more than ever you better ensure you’re honoring your promises to customers. You’d be surprised how many companies fall short in this area. Just by clearly communicating your promises AND honoring them puts you in a higher bracket, which in turns gives you an automatic competitive advantage. 

4. Be congruent and consistent. 

 This begins with the first touch point your prospect sees (whether that be an ad or a video, etc.). Your messaging should not only be crystal clear, it should be consistent across the board on every medium and marketing vehicle you utilize. 

Start reviewing your website, your social pages, your ads, everything! Ensure your message and communication is consistent and congruent. But not only that, make sure it’s genuine and in complete alignment with your core values, your brand principles, and your promises. 

All it takes is one inconsistency and a seed of doubt is planted in your prospect’s mind. Doubt breeds dis-trust. 

Keep in mind this doesn’t just apply to touchpoints your prospect or customer sees … It also applies to their experience. Maybe your messaging is 100% dialed in, but your customer service team isn’t. 

Bottom line: Ensure everyone on your team (on every level) is communicating the same messaging you are displaying and promising. 

There's no doubt that transparency and authenticity together are a significant driving force when it comes to growing and scaling any company.

When trust and loyalty are achieved, growth naturally follows. Customers make repeat purchases, or leave a great review, or refer friends and family. 

When in doubt, just think of some of the brands you are loyal to and refer to others. What do they do to earn your trust?  

To your success, 

David

Active Campaign Certified

Missing out on this BIG force multiplier?

I recently read an article that further validated what we already know about the importance of cultivating a strong company culture ... 

Here’s what REALLY grabbed my attention: 

“Companies with strong cultures have seen a 4x increase in revenue growth” ...

And ...

“Companies that appeared on Fortune’s annual 100 best companies to work for list also see higher average annual returns, with cumulative returns as high as 495% compared to 156%” ...

To read the full article on Forbes.com, click HERE.

There are very few elements that continue to contribute to business success like culture does. 

How I KNOW this to be true …

We have a team member that recently came on board with Business Nitrogen that has worked with some of the top direct marketers in the industry. After working with us for a few months, she told me that in the last 24 years, she has never seen or experienced a company culture like ours before …

The difference compared to other companies was literally night and day. 

This is not the first time I’ve heard something like this, either from members of our team or from our clients.  

Can you say the same? 

If not, here’s some unsolicited advice. Start looking inward at your existing culture so you can start making necessary changes now before it's too late. 

If this happens to be a new area for you, here’s how I explain the architecture of company culture to our clients …

 I describe 3 vital pillars that equate to culture. They include core values, core purpose and a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal). 

In a recent Infinite Business Newsletter, I gave you my tip on how our company created our BHAG before focusing on any of the other components of culture. We did this because I  found it easier to keep the end goal in mind when designing the foundational elements that would directly and intentionally support it.

Then we focused on our core values. 

Core values are the set of beliefs that should guide your decisions, unite your team, and define what your business stands for. Most companies have three to five core values, but there really is no limit. 

Creating core values is NOT as easy as it sounds. 

If that’s been your experience, try this exercise:

Ask members of your core team to identify two team members they feel are key players in the business. These people should embody the heart and soul of the business. Ask them to write down the summary of "why" this person is on the list. Then have them write down the person's characteristics that stand out. The common words and phrases are the perfect starting point for the core values discussion.

If you don’t have a team, ask a trusted confidant to help you. Mine was Bob Sears. Not only is he my colleague, he has known me for 12+ years, and he is a trusted friend. 

It took us weeks to create our core values … I remember getting on Zoom calls with him hours at a time to brainstorm and collaborate on this. 

After we created what we thought our core values were, we’d both post them somewhere where we could see them multiple times a day.  

We kept looking at them to determine what needed to change for them to be 100% “true”. We’d ask ourselves: Do these accurately represent who we really are?

We both committed to getting them 100% right (however long it took).  And you’ll know when you’ve got them right when there is no question at all in your mind. 

This might help too … Check out our core values below:

It’s the implementation phase where things usually fall apart when it comes to core values....

After creating their core values, business owners usually tuck them away in a drawer never to look at them again. 

Or they are put on display with no explanation of what they mean or why they are there. 

Here’s the thing …

In order for your core values to truly make an impact and become a vital piece of your company culture, they have to be brought to life. 

They need to become living, breathing principles that everyone in your company strives to live by every single day. 

For example, we have weekly meetings in our company with the sole purpose of reviewing and exercising our core values.  Each member of the company participates and examples are given how our core values were exercised the week before.  

Your core values should also be what your team holds each other accountable to each and every day. 

More specifically, we practice Diagonal Accountability at Business Nitrogen.  

If a member of the team doesn’t get something they need from another team member, they have no problem addressing it with them (even if that person is me). No one on our team avoids an impending conflict, or feels threatened by accountability. We all look at it as helping one another be successful. 

Open, honest, and transparent communication is KEY in our company culture. It’s the only way to successfully overcome any challenge we encounter.  

I’m very proud of our entire team here at Business Nitrogen. And in order to grow and nurture a high-performing team like ours, we are very intentional about who we “invite in''. 

As a result, our hiring criteria is heavily based on our core values. Plus, it’s also a great way to attract the “right” candidates.  

During our interview process, we repeatedly communicate what our core values are, and what they mean to us as a company. 

This allows each candidate to clearly understand what they will be measured against and held accountable to if they get to join our team.  If at any point we don’t feel a candidate resonates with our core values, we stop the process.  

Last but not least, our core values also qualify our clientele. If a prospect doesn’t align with our core values, they are not a right fit client for us. If they are a right fit, this also acts to establish clear expectations for everyone. 

Like I mentioned earlier, there are very few elements that continue to contribute to business success like culture does. 

Start working on creating your core values and make the commitment to see it through. 

As always, I’m just a reply away if you need help. 

To your success, 

David

funnel marketing expert