Are you focusing your brand efforts on simple sales and just getting people to buy your products? If so you are reaching out using the marketing strategies of the last century. Sure, things like a spiffy new packaging, a great new taste or lower prices may have caught a person's eye and cause them to buy, does it inspire devotion? After that initial "new" feeling wears off, do they really have any loyalty to your brand? Today's consumer wants to be educated; they want to know why they should pick your brand over another. They want to know that you cater to their other interests and not just to the immediate sale. Instead of focusing your efforts on just getting people buying, you need to retool your shop to focus on the "buy in".
It used to be that brands focused their efforts on pushing a message. You would see one way advertising in papers, billboards and on TV. Now the consumer has a lot more choices and they are good choices to boot. Not only that, they have been encouraged to be picky about who will get their hard earned cash. They want to know if you share their same sensibilities, not just if your prices are sensible. For an example let's look at who is winning the burrito wars; Chipotle.
"Good food IS good business." Also known as the company's mission statement - Food With Integrity. This shows the consumer that that not only do they get great taste, great nutrition and great value they also get a good conscience when they spend their money with Chipotle. It shows that Chipotle supports and sustains family farmers. It shows that they make efforts sourcing organic and local produce when possible, and It means that when possible they source from animals that are organically raised. This all pairs very well with the ever growing eco- conscious, organically grown and buy local initiatives morals of the modern consumer. All of this put together has gotten Chipotle to beat out their competitors on a national level.
So what does this teach us? It teaches that long term sustainability even in economic hardship is bought by the brand buy in. It's not just about offering a great product, it's not just about yelling out a one way message. It's about reaching out to people and talking to them about what they care about besides their wallets. It is about engaging people in a conversation and getting them to continue that conversation with others after they have left your storefront. They want to feel that they are dealing with individuals that have other interests instead of just a faceless corporation. They want to feel that whoever gets their money is also the one who understands the other things that are important to them. So think beyond price, packaging and presence. Think about the brand values that state "who" you are and how people see you.
