The four Cs of brand visibility for purpose-driven businesses

For businesses to be successful, they need to ask “How can I help you?” not “What can I sell you?” 

88% of consumers want to know the brands they’re supporting have a net positive impact on people and the planet, and 91% are likely to move their custom to a business that stands behind a cause they believe in. 

The future of business is ethical, and with marketing as a means to reach, enrol and inspire more people, brands have the power to create systemic, social and environmental change on a global scale. 

Let’s explore what it means to be purpose-driven, how to make more impact with your marketing, and the four golden Cs of brand visibility: community, contribution, collaboration and celebration. 

What is purpose-led marketing?

Purpose means intention or the reason behind an action. The purpose of this article is to get you thinking about more authentic, valuable ways you can reach and connect with your audiences in order to grow your impact alongside your business. 

Really, all marketing is purpose-led. For decades, big businesses have used clever marketing tactics to infiltrate the collective subconscious and manipulate people into feeling bad about themselves so they buy products. Feeling like they’re missing out on something so they buy products. Feeling inadequate so they buy products. Wanting to belong so they buy products.   

When we talk about purpose-led marketing in the context of this article, what we really mean is communicating a message that has a purpose beyond selling a product or service. Being authentic, helpful, focusing on human-to-human connection, and giving back more than you take. 

Yes, we identify a need and look to find solutions through our communications, but we’re not deliberately creating a need that doesn’t already exist, a need that may even have a negative impact on people’s lives and the environment in the long-run. 

What is a net-positive impact?

The key to purpose-led marketing is authenticity. That means walking your talk. Marketing is just the tip of the iceberg, and we must pay attention to every part of our business, especially the parts not seen by the public.

This is what we mean by net positive impact. When you look holistically at every element of your business operations, including supply chain, employee wellbeing, diversity, accessibility, carbon emissions, your giving back policies and add all of those micro impacts together, you get the grand sum of your impact. Is it positive (leaves a surplus), or negative (leaves a deficit)?

Purpose-led brands need to be totally transparent and authentic in their marketing to show they are truly driving social and environmental change. There is no place for greenwashing in marketing.

Next, let’s explore the four Cs of 

brand visibility.

1.Community

Building and facilitating an engaged community has a positive impact on your customers’ lives and your brand’s success. 

People are craving connection like never before, and loneliness is a significant contributor to poor mental health, particularly in a post-COVID world. As a purpose-driven business, your community shares your values.They’re looking for information and support that helps them make more ethical, sustainable choices. They also want to be part of a tribe who think like they do.

Word of mouth is still the most effective way to grow your business and the vast majority of customers are looking for social proof from those in your community. 93% of people assess whether a business has a good reputation based on available online reviews and 92% look at a product review before making a purchase. 

We love to see sustainable fashion brands using their customers in their marketing, and user generated content remains one of the most impactful elements of marketing campaigns. Wherever possible, use your platforms to celebrate your community, and put your customers front and centre. 

Snag Tights is a Scottish brand with a clear purpose: “We are here to make clothes for everyone.” Making colourful tights size 4-36, they have grown into a dynamic, inclusive fashion business with a vocal and loyal community. Take a peep at their social channels and you’ll see their diversity, inclusivity, sustainability and affordability values modelled by the people who love them most. 

Communities make up the fans, customers and followers that support your brand to grow, and it’s your duty to give back to those groups and provide value and support wherever you can. Whether it’s through events or online groups, find opportunities to give back, stay engaged and show you value your audiences at every touch point. Without a community, a business simply cannot thrive. 

2. Contribution

Being a contribution is an essential part of an impactful marketing strategy. Contribution asks, “How can I help you?” It really listens to the answer, and responds accordingly. This is the value you’re providing to your communities, and your opportunity to communicate your values beyond your owned channels such as your website, blog and social media.

When you seek first to support, you create a symbiotic relationship with your audiences. This in turn helps you to understand their needs better, which makes your products and services stronger and more relevant. 

It also provides opportunities to diversify to meet the changing needs of your customers. 

Contribution can be seen as a kinder approach to PR. It’s creating content for publications for the purpose of being helpful and getting ideas out there that really matter to you and that make a difference to your communities. 

As part of your contribution, you might approach podcasts that share similar values and messages, offer your insights and experience as a guest, or pitch a guest article to relevant publications. Your approach must never be sales-oriented, instead this is about asking “How can I use my knowledge to be of service?”

3. Collaboration

Together we are mighty, and the concept of collaboration over competition is extremely powerful, especially for purpose-driven SMEs. 

Look for opportunities to collaborate with other brands and leaders you admire. Not only does this bring more value to your audiences, you also access their audiences and create wider like-minded communities. 

You could choose to collaborate on a piece of content, course or other offer where your skill sets complement one another’s. You could also diversify your offering by partnering with different organisations. This is something we regularly do at The Joyful, especially when working on large-scale technical and creative projects. 

Collaboration is a more authentic approach to outsourcing, and can be a real benefit to your clients and customers. For B2B businesses, that means co-pitching for work and being upfront and transparent about your partnerships and agreements. 

For B2C, you can get even more creative. Sustainable jewellery brand Catbird does this particularly well. They regularly invite artists to collaborate on their collections, and deliberately highlight the artists’ unique flair in their marketing, making collaboration a key part of their brand identity. 

4. Celebration

Make room in your marketing strategy to celebrate the people and organisations you admire. 

You might do this through a ‘spotlight on’ interview series for movers and shakers whose expertise and values align with your own, or through a celebratory social post where you promote the work of someone who inspires you.

Make sure to include your team, clients and partners in the celebration, and always tag them so they can share the love on their own networks. 

Putting the 4 Cs of visibility into action

The 4 Cs of visibility are tools to ensure our marketing strategies are value-led and valuable. They’re ways to nurture, support and grow communities of loyal customers, and get the messages we’re so passionate about in front of new audiences.

With every piece of content you create, first ask yourself: what is my intended impact? If the answer is to educate, inspire, enrol and delight, you’re on the right track. If in doubt, go back to that key question: “How can I help you?” And with this, we hope we’ve helped you too! 

Sophie J Turton
Director, The Joyful
Brand and marketing for movers, shakers and change-makers
Website: wearethejoyful.com