I’ve talked about how being authentic isn’t really a Marketing strategy, despite seemingly every brand on the planet using the buzzword of “authenticity” to attract clients and customers. After seeing yet another brand campaign including the word “authentic,” I was reminded of this post, and I started thinking— what does it actually mean to have ethical marketing? Surely it can’t mean using buzzwords as selling points and crossing your fingers no one asks you how your brand embodies __________ or _________ (fill in the blanks).

As a small business owner and a Marketing professional, I strongly believe marketing should be ethical, transparent, and well— real. With social media and a new generation of consumers, brands can no longer get away with “good-sounding” promises and half-baked ideas anymore. Abiding by basic marketing ethics will prove to your target audience you actually care about their needs; they can trust you as a brand/company; and you aren’t just using advertising buzzwords to make a sale. I can guarantee you— you’ll never reach the Millennial or Gen Z audience unless you can ‘walk the talk.’

Ethics Prove Your Credibility

If you continuously prove your level of service, product, brand ethos, etc. aligns with the way you’re marketing it, you’ll build credibility in your industry. Don’t underestimate how critical this is— if your customers don’t trust you, they will not buy from you. Proving you’re a credible company/brand has never been more important than in today’s world of fast news, screenshot text messages, online reviews, and going Live. 

Ethics Increase Sales

Being ethical directly impacts your bottom line, whether you’re aware of it or not. When customers/clients trust you, they’re more likely to purchase from you or recommend you to friends— and you can gain their trust by being ethical with your Marketing. Forrester defines this as reaching value-based customers, or “people who vote with their wallets to support brands who align with their values.” Clearly communicating your values as a company/brand and actually abiding by them will help customers trust you and purchase from you.

Ethics Establish Loyalty

If your Marketing is ethical and your product/service aligns with the values you advertised, you’ll have loyal, repetitive customers. You’ll probably even get referrals. We all have favorite brands in certain industries, right? I’m sure one came to mind as you read the sentence. And chances are the brand is your favorite because they have an awesome product that lives up to their Marketing (whether it was sustainable, eco-friendly, organic, advanced, transformative, you pick the value!), and you had a positive experience with the company.

My guess would be most of you reading this work for or own a business/brand and have a set values the brand/business uses in daily operations. However, do they come through in the Marketing?

If you need some help in this arena, your next step is to sign up for my free 30-minute audit (yes, I said free). I’ll help you get clear on your brand’s voice, make sure your Marketing is aligned with your values, and help you map out next steps.

If you have any questions, I’ll take those too! I’m here to help.