You are late for a meeting in town. You struggle to find a parking spot on the street. You realize you don’t have any change. Then you notice the sign on the window.
“We have change for the meters if you need it.”
How easy is that? Yet, the default setting for so many local businesses is that they don’t want you coming into the store for things like meter change or to use the bathroom. What signal does that send to the world? Why not start from a place of being generous toward potential customers who will be attracted to shop at your business.
Generous Marketing Works
If you market a brand or service, the same rule applies. What is the equivalent of giving away change to your customers to make their life easier? Can you find ways to be generous beyond expectation so that you can position yourself as a helpful marketer?
[Tweet “We want to do business with people we like, admire and respect. “]
Our inclination is to find products and services that align with our needs as well as our values and world view. We don’t want to buy from mean-spirited people.
Donald Trumps’ recent obnoxious rant toward the Mexican community has permanently stained his brand for millions. Who wants to associate themselves with hate? Not that I ever cared for his brand, I will now go out of my way to avoid all things, Trump. Any generosity or philanthropy from Trump will forever be soiled by his acidic tongue. Few hear his argument as they mostly focus on his lack of compassion and a lack of generosity of spirit.
On the other hand, look at how the brand KIND, has developed KIND causes. They bring communities together to vote on the kindest causes and donate $10,000 to that cause. They could have spent that money on discounts, promotions or advertising. Instead, they are building deep connections between consumers and their brand.
[Tweet “Talk about making a change. #Kind marketing in a new light.”]
How can you bring a spirit of generosity to your brand or business to make a difference?
BrAND Philosophy
Talk a lesson from KIND and their about me page:
There’s healthy. There’s tasty. Then there’s healthy and tasty. At KIND®, we believe you deserve both—we call it our brAND philosophy. What began with just 8 bar varieties in 2004 has grown to over 22 bars and 6 Healthy Grains snackable clusters, and a multitude of new recipes being perfected and refined to our standards in the KIND® kitchen.
The ‘AND’ are the causes they want to help promote through kindness. They offer $10,000 each month to make the world kinder. That’s a tasty way to motivate me.
How does your business connect your clients on an emotional level? Like the Kind brand, your product has to serve its purpose (taste great, competent advice, etc.,) but the bigger issue is how do you feel when you use their product. Do you believe that you are part of a community doing good and taking things to the next level? Like the Dyson Foundation, KIND is connecting me at an emotional level not just to what they make but how they are in the world. Being helpful is a powerful marketing approach.
Another great example is Rachael Ray and her Yum-o Organization, launched in 2006 by Rachael Ray, Yum-o!® is a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids and funding cooking education and scholarships.
[Tweet “Rachael Ray and #Yum-O makes me hungry to help nourish a community.”]
So go ahead, be kind and a generous marketer.
Are you struggling with how to grow your business by being generous? Let’s talk to see if I can be of help to you. Connect with me here.
