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Posted by Sarah Brown on 20 Oct '22
Use your values to show you are different

Generally, people feel more comfortable dealing with people and organisations that share our view of the world, share our values; we can relax because we have common ground.
Generally, people feel more comfortable dealing with people and organisations that share our view of the world, share our values; we can relax because we have common ground.
So why do relatively few organisations clarify their values and use them in their communications?
I hope we are pretty straightforward because our name even suggests our values. Our mission map shows that we want to inspire, help innovation, and have integrity. Are the values of your organisation clear?

Any organisation can stand out from the crowd
I have always believed that whatever you are selling or doing, you can make it memorable, and I started my marketing career in far-from-glamorous industries like laundries and drain cleaning.
Clarity of consistently applied values is a powerful way to stand out in your organisation.
I was excited to read recently in The Times about a simple example. A Lancashire cafe (it has appeared in other nationals as well) uses its values to explain their difference.
The Chaii Stop in Preston has a sign which makes its values clear:
Desi Chai £5
Desi Chai please £3
Hello, Desi Chai please £1.90
As Usman Hussain, the owner, explains, "If a customer doesn't use their manners, I point to the sign, and they immediately ask again more politely. A lot of people can be quite rude in the mornings while they're waking up but when they see the sign it makes them think.
You never know what someone is going through to make them act rude, but it helps them to drop their guard. It gets them talking - like an icebreaker - and that's what we're all about. Any negativity gets left at the door"
He got the idea from America and has never yet charged £5.
But I know without even visiting his cafe, it will be friendly, and he has thought about getting people to be more social. It makes me want to visit it.
The article explains there is a friendlier atmosphere, and their goal is to make everyone feel like a welcome guest.
What are you doing to make people want to use you?
Every organisation has beliefs and values though they may not be articulated or explicit. How could you bring them to life to make you stand out from the crowd? Whatever your size, if you do something to illustrate your values, you could get national press coverage as this cafe did.
However, two notes of caution, this will only work if you consistently apply your values at every level. They must apply to all and be personified by the organisation's leaders. And, of course, your values need to be positive to attract the type of people you want for your organisation.
If you are unsure what your values are, use our tool to help you think about them, contact us for a chat about how you could bring them to life and to get help ranking them.
Found this interesting, then read these:
Why values are the key foundation of a strong corporate culture