Living It

In the best companies, the organizational culture aligns with the core value of the brand. If you’ve got that heart, then let it show. That’s authentic value.

Every company has its own back-story and a unique culture. That uniqueness must be embraced to connect with consumers in the new media landscape. It’s an essential part of establishing your credibility.

A typical tactic in the past was to go after the mass market with a brand identity calculated to appeal to the broadest group. Although there are still some opportunities to do that, the middle is really shrinking. The plays are on the fringes. And to reach those fringes, you need to speak the right language. If you understand their needs, niche markets will come to you – and can spread like wildfire.

When your people are aligned with your core value, you have credibility with your constituency. And, as an organizational culture, you have passion, energy and clarity of purpose. That passion and connection to the community are critical.

Say your business is building better bikes. Do you hire biking enthusiasts or just people who are trying to earn a good living? Do you attract outdoor enthusiasts? People who are intensely health-conscious? You really should think about this because the mix will start to affect your product – and your customer base – at some point.

If your culture is aligned with your core value then let the individuals in the organization do their thing naturally. The people on your team must not only believe in your vision but live it themselves so they’ll understand how they would want to interact with your brand. Your team will be speaking the same language as your customers and you’ll be able to build a more credible ecosystem. You’ll make a natural connection with your audience. That’s something you just can’t fake.