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24 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2024 who have strong reputations and solid core values. Once you have instilled these values in your team and those values guide everything they do, that should come through in your brand messaging. It shouldn't still be the case, but there are companies that operate with "questionable" business methodologies. ey promise every- thing, yet deliver disappointment. ose are the ones we want to avoid doing business with. e core values in those organizations are not aligned with building a long-lasting relationship with their custom- er s, supplier s, or employ- ees. C o r e v a l u e s d o n ' t change w ith market c o n d i t i o n s . T h e y stand the test of time. The best way for your custom- ers to know your values is to live them in front of c u s to m e r s da i l y. This includes all your marketing, ads, columns, inter views, shipping boxes, or any point of contact with a prospect or customer. Ensure your prospects know who you are, your reputation, and what you stand for. Live, share, and reinforce that daily. is will make doing business with you a much easier choice for prospects. ere are a few companies you already know which are safe to do business with. ese are the ones consistently doing what they say they will do and doing so without hidden cost. Ama- zon is one that comes to mind. Amazon has built a solid reputation with consumers. eir marketing plan is strong, and their branding is everywhere, right down to their shipping box with a smile. ey are not perfect, but when they miss the mark, you know they will strive to make it right. It would be nice if all business transactions were that predictable. Aligning Your Marketing Message Marketing alignment begins with having a clear message ready to share. Once you do, align it with your business development team. But don't stop there. Marketing is a company- wide effort. Everyone in the company needs to know your organization's marketing mes- sage, including reps and distributors. By aligning your entire team, you will soon find many more ways in which everyone in your company can contrib- ute to strengthen your position and grow sales. For example, your engineer- ing department may contribute a monthly col- umn for our mag- azines. Others on your team may participate in our industry roundta- bles, again sharing your message with potential customers. Remember that these are not sales pitches; they are examples of how you are the go-to expert (content marketing). If your team is not aligned with the marketing mission, your potential customers may be confused, which will have a negative impact on sales. If your marketing message positions you as the expert on increasing yields, and your team is not aligned with that position, how do you know what they are (or aren't) sharing? Let's say your mission is going to the moon, but your team is not aligned, so you have team mem- bers out buying swimsuits instead of spacesuits because they think you are going to the beach. is is a terrible waste of time and resources.