The Necessity of Authenticity in Business

​The days of smoke & mirrors are gone.  No longer can a business owner hide behind a carefully crafted illusion of success in order to achieve actual success.  Today's consumers, armed with easy access to knowledge (hello, internet!) and connectedness with like-minded consumer communities (hello, social media!) require much more from those they do business with.

It is necessary that small business owners, large corporate brands and everything in between offer more to the market - authenticity and transparency.  Consumers want to connect with those they purchase from in today's economy.  Consumers crave a story, an understanding, an awareness related to a business or brand before they are willing to click the "Purchase" button.  Corporate brands are investing more than ever in executive positions to manage advertising, marketing, and social media effectively in this new climate.  They seek to build trust with their customer base by creating campaigns that reflect authenticity and transparency for the brand.

So how does a small business owner compete with the marketing investments huge corporations are making in this area?  It is simple - by leveraging what already exists within their business.  The authenticity and transparency large brands are seeking to create through new marketing campaigns naturally exist within most small businesses.  Here are some ideas for showcasing the genuineness of your small business or brand:

• Tell your story.  Share the backstory of your business with your prospective customers.  Tell them what inspired you to create the business and the "why" behind what your business does.  

 

• Show the daily.  Don't just highlight the successes of your business through social media or the various marketing channels you use.  Give customers a glimpse into the everyday, routine happenings at your business. 

 

• Highlight individuals.  Showcase the employees who are part of your company (or yourself if you are a one-person operation!).  On social media or via blog posts, provide details about the individuals who work hard for your business - their background, ideas, and future goals.

There are many other ways to begin to generate authenticity and transparency for your small business that will transform into solid trust for your brand.  To learn more ways to grow your small business or brand, contact us today!