Customers want to get an authentic look inside your company to see what really makes you tick

87884681 – tree hugging, little boy giving a tree a hug with red heart concept for love nature

Digital consumers have access to more information than ever before, and it’s right at their fingertips. As a business, this can be a blessing or a curse.

Forget about competing purely on price; there are much more subtle factors at play throughout the marketplace, from retail to finance and even politics.

Connecting with consumers and employees in a way that resonates with them is a battle where the parameters are constantly changing. So how can you make your brand stand out for all the right reasons?

Consumers vs. citizens

In our everyday lives there are three main roles we play: consumers, citizens and employees.

We can define consumers, on a basic level, as people who want something and will do what is needed to get it with very little regard for others in the process. Their priority is to get the best deal for themselves in the marketplace. They act in their own self-interest, not as a moral agent. This kind of buyer is relatively straightforward for companies to understand and entice since their decision-making is quite superficial.

Citizens, however, act with a greater sense of morality and ethics. They care about the impact their decisions will have on others. And because digital information is now so widely available, it’s easier than ever for citizens to make informed choices.

Citizens accept that they have some responsibility when it comes to fixing society’s problems whereas consumers turn a blind eye or expect someone else to deal with them.

Until recently, most buyers typically kept morals out of their purchasing decisions. But we’re now seeing these roles – and the mindsets behind them – beginning to merge. Businesses must also adopt a citizen mindset if they want to stay relevant.

Also read: Want to build a sustainable startup? Solve for a problem for your customers

Presenting your ‘how’

We’re all familiar with the concept of portraying our ‘who’ and even our ‘why’ in our branding, ad campaigns and online presence. But it’s time to look beyond these to the ‘how’.

Where citizens are concerned, it’s not enough to say that your values are X, Y and Z; you must show how you are contributing to those values in a tangible way.

The Body Shop’s ‘Enrich Not Exploit’ commitment is a great example of this in action. The brand has always been known for not testing their toiletries and cosmetics on animals, but now they have set the ambitious goal of “being the most ethical and truly sustainable global business”. The ‘how’ is clearly displayed on their website in the form of 14 targets which include helping disadvantaged people find work, sourcing ingredients transparently, and developing sustainable packaging. Look a little further and you’ll find a wealth of information about where ingredients come from and the communities and environmental projects that benefit.

Curious buyers should be left in no doubt that this company is acting on the values they claim to hold, and this is what gives the brand a competitive advantage.

Blake Mycoskie’s TOMS Shoes which has now expanded into sunglasses, using the same giveback formula, coffee, the purchase of which provides water where it’s needed and TOMS invests in other social entrepreneurial enterprises. Warby Parker, sells affordable eyeglasses online with the buy one / give one self-feeding, sustainable model.

So if you still think your fluffy CSR webpage is enough to appease consumers, think again. They want to get an authentic look inside your company to see what really makes you tick – and if you’re not providing this yourself, there are plenty of other ways they can find the information. LinkedIn, in fact, is becoming one of the most honest portrayals of organisations from a staff perspective.

Employees are citizens, too

It’s not just consumers who are becoming more ethically-minded; potential employees will consider far more than just the salary on offer when deciding whether to take a job.

A 2015 survey in the UK found that 62% of millennials and 42% of the overall workforce would prefer to work for an organisation that positively impacted the world. They even suggested they would work harder if they knew they were making a difference to society.

Other research shows that the generation of students currently emerging into the workforce place strong importance on the values of the company they work for. Although good compensation is generally considered most important, a Net Impact survey of graduates and undergraduates found that 58% would be willing to take a 15% pay cut in order to work for an organisation that shared their own values. This is compared to just 34% of those surveyed who are already in the workforce.

You might argue that this is just whimsical thinking on the part of idealistic students who are yet to experience the pull of a paycheque, but still, the intention and desire is there.

The same survey also uncovered an increasing desire among younger generations to have a job that would impact causes and issues they cared about. 72% of emerging university students and 59% of Millennials ranked this element as “very important” or “essential” when finding work, compared to just 49% of GenXers.

Standing out to attract talent

In an economy where budgets are tight and the battle to find and retain the best talent is fierce, companies would be wise to take note of this shift in attitudes.

Employees that have a positive emotional connection with their job are more likely to work harder and stay loyal to the company – even if the salary is less competitive than elsewhere. On the other hand, companies who rely purely on a large paycheque to attract employees may well find themselves losing out on the best talent.

Also read: Sell a vision and not a product

So in this generation of consumers and employees who are serious about their role as citizens, consider whether your ‘why’ is carried over into your ‘how’. Just as important, are you communicating it transparently and authentically?

Organisations that fail to adapt to this new model within the next five years will end up isolating themselves from both their customers and workforce – and facing falling margins as a result. It’s time to get genuine about using your business as a force for good in the world.

—-

The above is extracted from Scott’s best selling keynote and forthcoming book Are you ready for Isaac?

Editor’s note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Featured Image Copyright: flynt / 123RF Stock Photo

The post What the citizen-minded consumer and employee means for your organisation appeared first on e27.