Your core values are a powerful marketing tool. Instead of keeping them internal, broadcast them. When you state values like being "fiduciary marketers," you build trust and attract clients who share those principles. This acts as a self-selection mechanism, pre-qualifying leads for a better-aligned partnership.

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Most content fails because its intention is selfish: to convert a user. A successful strategy treats the content itself as the final product, designed solely to provide value and build a relationship. This consumer-centric approach, which avoids treating content as a top-of-funnel tactic, is what builds long-term trust and a loyal audience.

A successful rebrand doesn't create a new personality; it amplifies the company's true, existing identity. Just as money magnifies a person's character, a strong brand makes a company's core values—like community involvement—bigger, louder, and more public, forcing them to be more intentional.

An Ideal Client Profile (ICP) is insufficient. Adopt a Perfectly Profitable Prospect Profile (P3P) to filter for alignment on core values, culture (e.g., agile vs. structured), and delivery fit (are they ready for your solution?). This proactively avoids friction and ensures engagement with high-value, low-headache clients.

Instead of creating a vague "ideal client avatar," identify a real person who embodies your brand's values. For Birdies, this was Meghan Markle—before her royal fame—because she represented warmth, hosting, and community. This makes marketing and product decisions tangible and focused.

Use interactive 'self-selection' tools on your website that guide prospects to the best solution for them, even if it's not yours. By occasionally recommending a competitor or different product type, you establish your brand as the most trusted and honest resource in the space.

Modern B2B buyers, particularly from younger generations, make decisions based on a company's values, not just its product features. They actively choose brands that demonstrate clear stances on ethics, inclusion, and transparency. A purpose-driven brand becomes memorable and builds trust in a crowded market.

A strategy defined only by the current product and target audience is brittle and fails to guide future development. A more holistic strategy is built on the company's underlying ethos, or 'how we do things.' This ethos provides a durable foundation for future product and marketing decisions.

Marketing plans often fail because they are created in a vacuum. A robust marketing strategy must be built upon the company's core business strategy, including its vision, values, and business model, to ensure it supports overall objectives like growth targets.

Counterintuitively, sharing your best knowledge for free builds immense trust and authority. This strategy proves your expertise and makes potential clients eager to purchase your paid implementation services, overcoming skepticism in a crowded market.

To build an authentic brand, move beyond product features and engage in an introspective process. By answering these three core questions, a company can establish its foundational ethos. This 'universal truth' then serves as a guiding principle for all external communication and strategic decisions.