We Connect Through Our Beliefs
No one will ever know how special you are if you don’t tell them what you believe and what you stand for
Demographics is defined as, “Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.” It used to be one of the first things an entrepreneur would look to when launching a new venture. Today it’s almost irrelevant.
With demographics like Latinos for Trump, bankers with tattoos, gay republicans, a proliferation of mixed racial families, lawyer bikers, elderlies climbing Mount Everest, and college dropouts making millions, such things as age, gender, race, and level of education are unimportant.
What is important is what people believe. “Valuegraphics” as we like to refer to it, are the beliefs an audience holds that aligns with the values represented by a brand.
Why Is This Important?
It’s important for new ventures, creative startups, and corporate executives struggling with burnout who seek to make their work about something more than just making money. It’s also (and in particular) important to those seeking to leave the traditional work environment and become a freelancer or digital nomad. Websites like Fiverr dot com and Upwork dot com are great places for freelancers to get their start, but it’s the ultimate commoditization of labor. It’s not about creating a unique brand appealing to just the right kind of audience, it’s just a service for a price.
Valuegraphics takes us to a deeper level of connection. As soon as we venture into the abyss of exploring what we believe, then we can begin exploring what our potential audience believes.
As an example, most likely we’re clear about what our immediate family members believe. We know this because we’ve lived with them for years. Countless conversations, and even arguments, have given us a nuanced understanding of their beliefs. If we tend toward deep thinking, then we’re also clear about our own beliefs. The next level of depth is to seek to understand what a potential audience believes.
We Connect Through Our Beliefs
If we do this, we’ll launch new products and services, and new businesses built on a deeper meaning and purpose than merely making a buck or two. When we do the deeper work of asking ourselves hard questions about what we really stand for, and then based on the answers, we ask ourselves what kind of audience we seek to serve, bit by bit we’ll come to understand an audience more deeply than merely people who want their eggs to come from cage-free chickens or interior design with a flare or contract law for dummies.
But we’ll never know who our audience is if we don’t do the work of venturing inward.
In our brand work, we help people come to a deep understanding of their audience, but with our own brand it’s been an ongoing exploration (the cobbler’s shoes). We’ve always known we’re different. Which means our audience is different. The simple answer is that our audience are those who seek for their work to be meaningful. But more deeply still: What kind of people are they? What do they believe and not believe?
Over the years of working with a myriad of clients, most of the time hitting it out of the park, occasionally striking out, we’ve come to understand our audience more deeply. It boils down to this: they believe in being wholehearted and authentic. In fact, they believe it so fully that money (or more specifically profitability) is secondary. Or stated differently, they are confident that so long as they are being truly authentic and wholehearted that the money will work itself out. They are not running analysis on the spending habits of certain demographics. They are driven by their vision for helping people in their unique way. This is our audience. And when we work with these folks the results are amazing. Their businesses flourish and their visions continue to deepen over time.
Coming to this level of clarity was not easy. It required us to continually venture within and ask ourselves the hard questions. Sure, it might be nice to once in a while take on a client with lots of money to burn and make a fast $100k — but not really. Based on how we work, the experience of working with people that don’t believe what we believe is exhausting and ineffective.
Making It About Price is A Race to the Bottom
There are no values or vision implied in an ad that tells us we’ll get 40% off if we buy on Friday. As soon as we discount, we’re saying our product is no different than the next, but if you buy now you’ll save money. It’s a trap marketers often find themselves in. They need to boost revenue and see it as a fast way to make it happen. But it comes with a heavy price, which is we diminish the brand when we make it about price.
You’ll never see Apple selling on price. Luxury products are different, of course, but let’s think more about necessities. Whole Foods, for example, provides things we all need at a higher price. So does Tesla and hemp toilet paper and Montessori schools. A product becomes a commodity when it’s solely about price. When it’s not about price the brand will need to connect with its audience based on an alignment of values.
Transcending Commodity-Driven Sales
We transcend the trap of discounts and commoditization when we align on values. We say, “This is what we believe.” And as we do, we draw a line in the sand. We’re saying we’re about this. More importantly, when we state it publicly we’re on the hook for it. We can’t say we believe in being authentic and wholehearted and then not embody it.
So, why bother? Why make a line in the sand that holds us to a challenging standard? Because this is the way we stand out. This is the way we distinguish ourselves. And because it’s powerful. Take for example some of the statements below from recent projects we’ve worked on and ask yourself how they make you feel.
“I believe that as we honor the innate healing wisdom of our bodies we create ripples of healing throughout the world.”
“We believe that all people are capable of healing and transformation, and co-creating healthy, thriving lives with greater well-being.”
“We believe in awakening the wonder through natural experiences and authentic self-expression.”
“We believe that culturally responsive education inspires and empowers Zuni and Indigenous people to live the lives of their dreams.”
“We believe empowered youth make a positive impact on humanity.”
These aren’t from companies selling hemp granola bars or fairy wings, nor are they hedge funds or arbitrage law firms. It’s an integrative health coach, a psychotherapist, a childcare center, a tribal college, and a youth mentoring program. You could say these are necessities — far from commodities, they are purpose-driven and meaningful.
The Scary Alternative
The alternative is to market ourselves like everyone else. “We have this great product. It only costs $x. Wanna buy it?” And when they don’t buy, we kick up the noise level. We say, “Our product is the best in the market. We’re unparalleled. You can’t go wrong with us. Wanna buy our service?” But who is to say what is best or better? It’s another trap. No one is the best, just different. We are clearly the wrong choice for brand work for many companies, and the absolute right choice for a small number of companies that align with our values.
“Wholeheartedness is hard. But not fully living our lives is much harder. And much more dangerous.” — Brené Brown
No one will ever know how special you are if you don’t tell them what you believe and what you stand for. They will never know how right you are for them if you don’t demonstrate your values at every stage and level of your company or project.
It begins with coming to understand ourselves — deeply — and then coming to understand what our audience believes. This is the point of connection.
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