Why it’s important to share what you stand for, so that you can authentically connect with your audience.
Firstly, is it actually important to share your brand values to connect with your audience? I think so but a lot of people would disagree with me. Lots of businesses and freelancers get by without sharing their personal values but, for me, sharing the things that I believe in and that are important to me has meant that I get to connect with people who share those values through my work.
My values include social justice and equity. Sharing them helps me to connect with others who feel the same. A great example of this is my counselling and wellbeing business, The Clear Space. I hold strong values around social justice and equality and talking about those issues has meant that a lot of the clients I end up working with share those values. A huge number of my clients are neurodivergent because I’m neurodivergent and providing neurodiversity affirming services is important to me, so I talk about it.
I talk about my views on global issues and politics and injustices in the world because these things are important to me. It can be argued that there’s no need to make your business or services political but LIFE is political and, for me, my values underpin every aspect of my life. Your brand is more than a logo – it's a story and you, your journey and experiences are part of that story.
Sharing your brand values to create connection
Your brand values are at the heart of your brand identity. By authentically sharing what you stand for, you humanise yourself and create a space for connection with clients and potential clients that goes beyond the surface level. People buy from people and in a crowded market, your values are a unique selling point.
In a world that runs on sales funnels and algorithms, being a human allows you to create an emotional connection with clients who share similar beliefs. I saw someone online say “feels over deals” and that sounds like a perfect way of doing business to me.
How the content you share can support you to share your brand values
Have you been to a demonstration? Share it. Are you volunteering for a cause you’re passionate about? Share it (with consent, of course). I absolutely don’t believe we should live our whole lives online but sharing the things you spend your time doing outside of work is a great way to show your audience what you’re about.
You can also use professional branding photography to share your values. A branding shoot can incorporate the books you read, your hobbies and the places that are special to you. Maybe you want some pictures with your family, your dog or in you work space to give a peek into your behind-the-scenes.
As business owners we can fall into the trap of thinking that our business is the only thing we should be talking about. I know from my own experience that when I share a picture of my face and talk about myself it gets more engagement than anything else I share on social media.
As well as posting on social media, infusing your website and blog posts with content that explicitly outlines your brand values can help you to be found by people who are searching google. Again, making this personal and human will mean you’re relatable to people who might want to work with you.
Work with me to create beautiful images, define your brand values and create your content strategy
So where do you start when you want to begin sharing your brand values? I am a huge fan of just sharing stuff and seeing what happens but if you want to be more strategic about it, I can offer content strategy support where we can look at your branding, visuals and come up with a plan for future content. This is offered as an add on to my branding photography packages. If you’d like to work with me, drop me a message.