Easy steps to purpose-driven marketing

Creative Blend share their top tips for making your marketing more meaningful. 

Last week we attended the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce ‘Big Debate’ event discussing ‘Do Brighton Businesses give back enough?’ The open and lively event gave us great pride in being part of a community who want to debate such a topic with 100 people in attendance! 

 This led us to think back to our roots and what initially brought on our Charity Commitment and Ethical Marketing stance as a business. Good, certainly is the new cool. There’s even a book about it. But how do we all embed meaning and purpose into our marketing everyday?

 Charities, businesses and ‘people’ in general, are all getting fed up with traditional marketing, and this is even more amplified in the next generations. 200 million young people today have adjusted their website settings to ban online advertisements. Sounds scary, but people haven’t got fed up of being marketed to, they just don’t want marketing without meaning.

 Not sure what that means? Here are six ways you can make your marketing more meaningful:

 Find your purpose

 To go beyond being seen as just another company trying to sell something, you have to discover the soul of your business. What is your higher-order beyond just making a profit? Do you want to spread happiness? Enable people to get to their destinations faster? Inspire creatives? You’ll find this authenticity in your message trickles down into how you portray yourselves to your customers.

 Find a meaning-partner

 Once you have your message, find a nonprofit or charity that shares your goal and team up. These organisations have in-depth knowledge on how to solve issues and achieve your goal. Not only will this help you execute your purpose, but you’ll also be perceived as more caring and socially concerned. Remember, 91% of millennials are more likely to switch to a brand associated with a cause!

 People, not products

 There is a habit of reducing the consumer to an abstract concept rather than seeing them as a living breathing person. Break your audience down into target groups, sure, but also speak to them on social media, ask them how they would improve products or customer service. If they tweet about your service, interact with them. Show examples of people who engage with you. Find out how you as a brand relate to people and use it when you speak to them, be it directly or through advertising.

 Relevant email marketing

 Whilst a monthly newsletter is nice, what’s going to mean more is a personal, timely email that talks about the step they’re at personally, or their relationship with you as a business. This is where email automation comes in. Don’t get in touch when it isn’t helpful, but if they popped a course in their basket and then got distracted and never booked - they may happily receive a short friendly reminder (maybe with a discount code to seal the deal).

 Word of mouth

 If a majority of people have ad blockers installed how can you reach them? With the only content, they wouldn’t block, their friends and family (the ones they haven’t muted). Word of mouth is the most effective form of marketing nowadays with 92% of people trusting recommendations over traditional marketing. The trick is knowing how to get your name on people’s lips. Find a way to link yourself to topical discussions, such as workplace diversity, equal pay, eco consciousness. Use a hashtag that’s trending. People love sharing a story highlighting good in the world (so they also look good) so find yours.

 Proof of the promise

 In the days of fake news, it’s impossible to not be a little cynical. People are used to advertisers lying to them to sell a product so show proof you’re different. Have evidence of the good you’re doing on your website, social media or blog. Prove that these aren’t hollow words to sell a product. Basically, show you truly care.

Creative Blend are an ethical digital marketing agency, offering support across website design, social media, content, email marketing and more, while giving back to local charities. They’re committed to changing the common approach to marketing, and defining what can benefit both businesses and people in the process. 

Thanks to Creative Blend for writing this blog

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk