Strong company culture will almost always result in a strong brand, and a strong brand must be supported and advanced through consistent and culturally sound marketing. In other words, your company culture should match your brand and both should be showcased through every aspect of your business, especially marketing.
Your marketing efforts and company culture go hand-in-hand if you truly want the world to know who your brand is and what it stands for. Having the ability to sell a product or service very well is one thing, but allowing inside access to who and what is behind your brand is another-it is the single most effective strategy you can use to build meaningful relationships and create connections that will last a lifetime.
Many businesses rely heavily on general content marketing. General content marketing focuses on a product, service, industry, or area of expertise. When general content marketing meets company culture, you are opening up a door to your brand that your existing customers, potential customers, partners, and employees (current and prospective), will gladly walk through. Infusing your company culture into your marketing content makes your brand relatable, trustworthy, and transparent, all characteristics that today’s consumers value and consider when buying into any brand.
Just like you wouldn’t want to create content that people can’t use, you wouldn’t want to create a company culture that isn’t authentic. Authenticity means that everything you say you are, you are and it’s also evident in the things you do. When it comes to creating content that speaks to the culture of your brand, consider answering the following:
- What makes your brand unique?
- What motto does your brand embody?
- Why do your employees love to work for your company? (Ask them!)
- How do you keep your consumers and employees engaged?
- What does your brand care about?
Answering these questions can lead to a whole host of content that everyone in your company can get involved in. Brainstorming content ideas can be a collaborative effort and a way to empower your employees to create content on their own.
Through storytelling. Telling the right story will reach the right consumers. Whether it’s through pictures, videos, blogs, or social media platforms and channels, telling a story that is unique, interesting, and/or personable is key. If you’re struggling to find these aspects within your business, it might be time to revisit your company culture and take the time to identify your brand’s purpose, vision, mission, and core values. If you can’t speak about what your brand was built on, how can you expect or even begin to build your brand?
Having a strong company culture pays off. Although it may evolve over time, it’s up to you to always keep a set of values at the core of your brand that comes from a real place. Consumers and employees alike know when a brand acts with integrity and speaks with an authentic voice and if they don’t, it won’t take very long for them to find out.
Much like a building, a company culture requires a strong foundation. The only difference is, the foundation of company culture usually starts from the top, which means, it starts with you.
