Brand generosity = success

Photo credit: unsplash.com/diegoph

Consumers (i.e. humans!) are drawn to generosity by brands that they love – acts of kindness, extra value, and great customer service, among other things, will engender trust. Does this ring true in your own life? Then it will in the life of your brand. 

To get started, let’s look at your brand’s “heart”. Company stakeholders in any business can make a difference in setting the course for this, and so too can the employees or agency who build your marketing efforts. Remember, “generosity” should never become a gimmicky marketing tactic but something authentic to your company’s brand ethos. Generous brand marketing will help build your E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) in the eyes of your customers, and by prioritizing generosity, you gain a significant competitive advantage.

As brand-builders, we begin with the building blocks of who you are, why you do what you do, how you see yourself, and the future opportunities for your brand's products or services. Once a brand articulates what it stands for, there’s a platform to build from. 

Does being generous mean creating giveaway programs? That’s a good question. Well, maybe, but brands can be generous with their knowledge or service and certainly can go “beyond the product” by sharing fun experiences or insights. They can participate more fully in their community and find a way to help folks. If your programs flow from your brand ethos, you’ll find lots of opportunities for engagement. 

Here are a few generous brands we’ve worked with:

No-Li Brewhouse is exceptionally community-minded and consistently gives back in big and small ways in Spokane, Washington. One example is their annual snow shovel giveaway on the first big snow of the year. On that day, they ask anyone who picks up a free shovel at their brewery to pay it forward by helping shovel a neighbor's walkway or driveway.

Photo credit: No-Li Brewhouse. Snow shovel icon by Sally Morrow Creative.

We've worked with Mountains Walking for many years since they opened their brewery in Bozeman, MT. Their philosophy of “hard work that accepts the outcome” influences engagement with products, employees, and community. To raise money for The Wounded Warrior Project, MW created a beer that is co-branded with their logos that helps raise both funds and visibility for the organization. The founder is generous with information and industry expertise, and he has built a loyal following – and the quality of his products speaks to everyone.

Photo credit: Alyssa Henry. Gustav Dose behind the bar at Mountains Walking Brewery.

Blue Bus, a kombucha and sauerkraut company from the Columbia River Gorge area, is generous in spirit, always enthusiastically recognizing their suppliers, wholesale partners, and customers and even other brands that they admire. Blue Bus is committed to local, organic farmers. Their infectious joy and enthusiasm foster brand loyalty as they expand throughout Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

Photo credit: @blainefranger Colin and Kristin Franger with their Kombucha products.

It’s always a good time to prioritize generosity – and it can give new life and meaning to your brand. Offer value, start a conversation, and build trust for continued success.