Advertising isn\u2019t just about selling products \u2013 it\u2019s about promoting your entire brand and what you stand for. Consumers want to work with brands that align with their values, and they will even pay extra to support brands that are making a positive impact.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As such, making value-based decisions is quickly becoming necessary to remain competitive in today\u2019s market. So, how is your brand shifting its native advertising to reflect your company\u2019s values?\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Your brand\u2019s values are reflective of the belief system that guides your business\u2019s actions. They remind you of what your brand stands for, and they serve as the motivation behind your company\u2019s behaviors. Value-based decision-making is when your brand makes choices based on those core values or beliefs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Some examples of brand values include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Consumers are watching brands closer than ever before.\u00a0According to SurveyMonkey,<\/a> 46% of consumers are more concerned about social values today than in 2020. In addition, the same study revealed that 78% of consumers make purchases based on values, and 55% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that are aligned with their values. Only 4% of consumers don\u2019t care whether a company shares their same values.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n With a world of information at people\u2019s fingertips, consumers can make more informed purchasing decisions today than ever before. They don\u2019t just want to know what your company has to offer. They want to know who you are.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For example,\u00a0Nike<\/a>\u00a0doesn\u2019t just sell shoes. They sell a mindset that is reflected in all their ads and marketing content. They promote innovation, sustainability and a positive, can-do attitude. These values drive all their decision-making, from how they create shoes, how they advertise, and which causes they choose to support.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n These seven strategies based on successful businesses’ actions can help your company make more\u00a0value-based decisions<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Making value-based decisions without clear values is like running a race without knowing where the finish line is located. You might perform very well, but if you\u2019re running in the wrong direction, you\u2019ll miss the mark.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Before making value-based decisions, you must first outline your company\u2019s core values and define how they apply to your advertising team. To find these values, ask yourself what kind of impact you want to make on your employees, customers, community, and the world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Once you have identified clear values, you must ensure that everyone on your team understands these values in order to remain aligned. Sales, marketing, and every department involved in advertising should understand and enforce those values to create a unified message for customers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For example, your social media ads should send the same value-based messages as your sponsored search ads.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Once everyone on your team understands your company values, it\u2019s time to shift your company culture and behaviors to align with those values.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some ways to align your brand with your values include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Sometimes, your brand will have to make difficult business decisions to stay true to your values. For example, you might have a profitable advertising idea that offers a high return but conflicts with your values. If you abandon your values to pursue a sale, your customers will see you as untrustworthy, which will hurt your business in the long term.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Instead, adjust your advertising strategy to balance your potential return with your core values. This way, you can still make a profit without compromising your integrity. For example,\u00a0native advertising<\/a>\u00a0offers consumers a more authentic and valuable experience while still allowing your brand to achieve its sales goals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Business leaders are not the only team members who should be making value-based decisions. Everyone in your company, and especially on your marketing team, can be part of this important initiative, from the graphic designers to the\u00a0content marketing<\/a> team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To ensure that everyone is on the same page, include your teams in the core value decision process. Asking for feedback from different team members when coming up with your values can result in a more inclusive and representative brand mission.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Business values apply to your company, but they should also apply to the individuals within your company. If key employees contradict your company culture, it can hurt your brand\u2019s image. When values translate to personal actions, they become character.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To keep your business aligned with its values, you must hire people who adopt these values as personal goals and beliefs. For example, if your company promotes trustworthiness, you want to hire trustworthy people whose personal lives don\u2019t conflict with that brand value.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When people care about your values personally, they are more likely to consider them when making decisions for the brand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Your decision-making guidelines should include steps that consider your brand\u2019s values. You should reflect on your values even when making small, daily decisions. Establish a list of criteria your choices must fulfill before they become a decision to help you stay accountable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One way to align your values with your decision-making process is to base your objectives, mission, and goals on your values. Even if your entire team has the same values, each team member might show those values differently depending on their personal views and responsibilities. By aligning your objectives with your values, you can ensure that your marketing teams remain on track with your business values, even if their individual decisions differ.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some of the greatest accountability partners are your customers because their opinion is what matters most in many situations. When your customers understand and resonate with your values, they are more likely to purchase from your brand.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Keeping your brand transparent also increases your authenticity with your customers. According to a survey of US-based consumers, approximately 46% of customers spend more money when shopping with\u00a0brands they trust<\/a>. In addition, 66% of customers list transparency as a top business quality.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You can be transparent about your values by including them in your advertising efforts. They should be reflected in your advertising images, wording, and placement. When your values guide your content creation decisions, your digital content will be customer-centric and focus on more significant issues than just your product and its features. Your content marketing and advertising will also highlight the impact you have on customers and the community.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Society constantly changes as new information comes out, customer behaviors change, and new needs arise. As society changes, you must also shift your business values to reflect the latest trends and demands in order to remain relevant with your audience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You should also continually examine how your business operates to identify opportunities for improvement, especially with regard to your core values. By continually auditing your advertising and marketing efforts, you can ensure that your decisions remain relevant and value-based as times change.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here are three examples of brands that are making value-based decisions the right way. Their entire brand reflects their business values, from their advertising campaigns to design. Let their results inspire you to make more value-based decisions in your own company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dove is a beauty brand that takes redefining beauty seriously. Their brand decisions reveal that they care more about the people who use their products than they care about selling skincare products. Some of their values include promoting diversity, inclusion, and self-esteem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some examples of Dove\u2019s value-based decision-making include choosing models, promoting stories, and advertising products that share their message, even if it doesn\u2019t fit society’s expectations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of\u00a0IKEA’s<\/a>\u00a0defining values is \u201csustainable every day.\u201d They make value-based decisions in their marketing and advertising efforts by basing much of their messaging around sustainable living. They sell furniture, but they also sell sustainable solutions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For example, they advertise their faucets as sustainable options for controlling water flow and reducing waste.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n7 Ways to Make Value-Based Decisions in Your Business<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1. Be Clear About Your Values<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
2. Align Your Brand with Your Values<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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3. Make Value-Based Decisions a Team Effort<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
4. Make Business Values Your Personal Values<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
5. Add Your Values to Your Decision Process<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
6. Tell Others About Your Values<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
7. Continually Reexamine Your Values<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Examples of Brands that Make Value-Based Decisions<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Dove<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
IKEA<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Coca-Cola<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n