Why Market Your Company’s Core Values & How!
Your company’s core values are a declaration of who you are and how you do business. They are a defining component of your corporate culture. Your core values should:
- reflect the kind of business you are
- clearly state the traits you regard highly in both employees and clients
If you already have company core values, how well do you know them? Are they a true reflection of your people and culture? Forbes studies have shown that clear company values are crucial to corporate culture, a unified team, and its productivity.
Market your core values internally
Your company values may be yet to be determined. Perhaps they are sitting in a folder, unseen since the day you developed them. Whatever their status, now is the time to make them known company wide. Market your business’s thoughtfully chosen traits and watch as your team aligns.
Demonstrate who you are
Knowing what you value in your business gives team members a guide to what kind of employee they need to be. It also is an insight to the kind of people they are working for. This builds trust in both their company and their colleagues. Core values are also a great way to set an expectation of behaviour without giving a list of dos and don’ts in your onboarding pack.
Strengthen culture
Because employee contribution is imperative in defining your core values, their active participation means there will be a crossover in the attributes that are important to you both. You will know your teams are made up of members who have like vision and passion. Employee contribution also provides ownership, which encourages individuals to embody your company values. This, in turn, strengthens the overall company culture.
Declare your core values to the world
Build brand trust
Company core values that are out for everyone to see is a fantastic way to build brand trust. Your values reflect who you are as people, and what you stand for as a business. By marketing them, you are setting the challenge to meet them in every interaction – and your clients and customers will be paying attention. The more you can meet and overreach your values, you are building trust.
Attract like-minded individuals
An ethical supply chain and honesty in your production are features you should be proud of in your business. Perhaps products or services that benefit your community are things vital to your brand. Whatever it is that your brand stands for, stand tall and say it loud.
In marketing your values and principles, you can attract talent that is passionate about their work. You will also find opportunities to partner with like-minded businesses in mutually beneficial relationships. Building a network of contacts, clients and partners that share values is important for the longevity of your brand.
“Values should be defined, developed, made real and above all integrated into the business strategy and DNA. They should be seen from the perspective of ‘shared value’ for business and society.” – Dr. Roger Hayes, IPR
How to do it well!
After you have included everyone in the value-defining process, you need to embed those core values into your company’s daily life. If you are debuting them internally, make it a big deal. A team email will not be enough to implant your values in the minds of your employees. You want them to be able to remember what your company stands for so they can embody those values in their work.
- Mnemonic devices work well to both summarise your values and help your team remember them. For example, you may be lucky to find that your values are Resilience, Integrity, Support and Excellence, making RISE the perfect mnemonic device to employ.
- Advertise your values to your staff regularly, through correspondence and promotional products.
- Include them in your email signatures.
- Feature your values in company newsletters, expanding on what they mean to you and your team.
- Regularly reward employee embodiment of your values. Employee gifting is proven to strengthen company culture and improve productivity.
- Share your values with your clients and ask them about theirs – you can strengthen professional relationships through mutual trust and share beliefs.
Core values & promotional products
Products that act as an example of your values are a great way of demonstrating what they mean to you. Environmentally conscious promotional products can show your commitment to sustainability. It’s an obvious one, but easily done with the extensive range of products available.
If teamwork is one of your values, there is branded merchandise that can help facilitate your team’s collaboration. Products like whiteboards and sticky notes can encourage communication and cooperation between colleagues. You could even get creative with your delivery. For example, a values jigsaw puzzle, tumbling tower game or a pack of custom printed playing cards could all be a welcome addition to your staff areas. Branded casual apparel, in addition to corporate uniforms, is also a great way to enhance team feeling outside of the workplace.
For those who value curiosity; notebooks, backpacks and portfolios are a great way to show your commitment to your team’s continuous development. Providing products that they can use in their learning and professional growth demonstrates your support.
Finally, merchandise can easily be decorated with your values. Printed, embossed or engraved with the very traits you’re looking to nurture, products are a proven way to deliver your message. For everyday use, stainless steel drink bottles, reusable coffee cups and eco-friendly lunchboxes make great employee gifts and will be used often, inside and outside the office.
Don’t be shy about your values. They are who you are and what you believe is important. Whether you’re rolling them out for the first time or renewing your focus on them to build a stronger team and culture, marketing your company’s core values is a great way to create cohesiveness and energy in your business.