by Bill Eager
Core values for a company, and all of the brands under the umbrella, are the foundation of the stories, dialog and actions that occur online and in the real world.…. read on!
When we think about our friends, relatives and colleagues the concept of value is straightforward. Is someone honest? Are they always there for you? Will they make things right if they make a mistake? For companies, this core aspect of business is not always as clear. It needs to be.
Content is one of the main elements of online connectivity. Content is the basis of all of the posts, blogs, white papers and interactions between a brand and a user. Content is also key for a story. Stories that work, that get people to pay attention, interact and share with friends, are driven by values and by the emotional sentiment that reinforces those values.
L.L. Bean has a core values statement: “Sell good merchandise at a reasonable profit, treat your customers like human beings, and they will always come back for more.” This simple statement of core value is the foundation of success for the company.
This focus on customer satisfaction is seen at all levels of communication and in customer interaction. They have received numerous awards for customer service including the Stella Service award noting: “What L.L. Bean has achieved is more than fast, friendly service. They’ve managed to install a true culture of service.” In fact if you can’t find your receipt for a return, L.L. Bean will help you track it down.
How does this relate to stories and content? The L.L. Bean YouTube Channel is filled with videos about employees speaking directly about their jobs. For example, Terry Anderson, a bootmaker, is seen stitching boots and he explains the process and how six people check the boots on the production line. He shares that some boots even come back for repair after thirty years. The employees and the customers of L.L. Bean create stories which are supported by the core values of the company.
Good content creates trust, and trust is the foundation of a long-term customer relationship.
Marketing used to be so easy that we could say if you spend X dollars on advertising you will obtain X number of new customers and X dollars in sales. Mission accomplished. Of course that never really describes the customer journey or relationship.
This journey does not end at the purchase. Nor is the journey unsuccessful if the purchase never happens! A customer is much more than a sale. A customer is a life-long partner and you are having a relationship. It’s a commitment. You want your customer to return for a second purchase. Even if, as with homes, automobiles and appliances, it takes five years or longer before they make purchase number two.
Then, there is what happens in-between purchases. Are your customers satisfied. Are they telling their real world and virtual friends how great your products and services are? Do they post, tweet, blog, stream, chat and photo share? Are they raving advocates for your brand?
What about people who aren’t customers? Maybe they aren’t even prospects? Should they be thrown into the “do not waste our time or money on advertising to them” bucket? Absolutely not. Just because someone doesn’t buy from you does not mean that they can’t help other people make the buy decision.
We all get opportunities to ride in our friends cars. If the ride is great we might recommend that brand, make and model to a friend. Or we glance at an online article or video about a gluten free pastry and we remember that our brother-in-law eats gluten free products. Online messaging is so pervasive, and so rapid, that we can fleetingly catch eyeballs connected to emotional responses…. that’s all it takes with the digital tapestry that is the new customer journey.
Between a purchase, or the connection to someone’s friend who may purchase, this is the place where you have to stay connected. Good content is not just a filler. One of the big challenges for everyone involved in developing content is that a significant amount of content is actually background noise that distracts people from having real conversation. What is content background noise?
- Endless posts about how great your products are (features not benefits).
- Too many posts with coupons, discounts and special offers (think junk mail).
- Non-stop feel-good content, like newborn kittens, that have nothing to do with core values.
Good content and stories connects with the values of your organization. Good content also creates trust. What is content trust? It’s lots of things. It is when you connect with a person in such a manner that they want to read, and possibly share your content. It is when you convince them that they should spend more time with the richer content on your web site. It is when you engage in such a manner that they are willing to share their email address with you (we all get lots of spam so this really is trust).
Good content inspires readers and viewers because they believe they will learn something new if they stick around for a few more seconds. You and your team can create and deliver content of trust by sticking to you core values. Maintain expertise in the field in which your products are presented. Share this expertise about how to select and use products. Most importantly, move forward with a vision that’s both inspiring and strategically sound.
