Sales sense is common sense...

How Core Values Influence Your Business Sales

Are you one of the 82% of shoppers who align with a brand because it sits with your core values?

Understanding the importance of values is an interesting concept for any business owner. Why are your customers buying their products or services from you? Have you considered that YOU match their values?

What are core values?

As an entrepreneur, you may have a set of principles that you and your team follow to help you achieve your business goals. These principles help you get clear on what matters to you.

Buyers will also hold a set of beliefs ensuring they only do business with companies and people whose behaviours, attitudes, and decisions reflect their own.

For example, a customer looking for eco-friendly and sustainable products will connect nicely with a brand that has this as its top value.

Most people focus on three to five core values and carry these with them as they navigate life, work, and relationships. Values may change over time, but each one is important to the individual or business. Understanding more about your core (or company) values will help you align with your personal and professional goals.

Google?regularly reviews its core values to ensure they are delivering what they know to be true. This leading brand focuses on ‘Ten Things’ which include ‘focus on the user and all else will follow’ as well as ‘the need for information crosses all borders’.

It’s worth spending half an hour working out what values mean the most to you. Aligning your values with that of your?ideal customer?is where the magic happens!

• What are your personal core values?
• What are your company values that will help your business thrive?

Here are a few core values that may resonate:

Authenticity

Balance

Connection

Fairness

Honesty

Integrity

Justice

Knowledge

Leadership

Peace

Respect

Service

Trust

Vulnerability

Wellbeing

The full?core values list?is extensive so take time to explore which values connect with you the most and begin to investigate how you can include them in your business and sales strategy.

Your values are there to drive you, inspire you, and motivate you.

Let’s look at how one core value can influence your business.

Integrity?– so many of my clients tell me how important integrity is for them. They want to be honest and withhold strong principles in their business.

Integrity also includes a commitment to your customer, respect, trust,?connection, and responsibility. You all know how important it is that your customers know, like, and trust you so integrity becomes a wonderful value to include.

Understanding your customers

Once you are clear on what your personal and company values are you will be able to connect authentically with your ideal audience. You will be showing up aligned with your core values. When you aren’t connected to your values, your customers will see through that.

To build lasting (and loyal) relationships with your customers you must offer products or services that are completely in line with your core values so you can sell from the heart in a?human-centered?way.

How do you know what your customers’ values are?

Connection!

Think of your business as a community of like-minded people. You all have the same ethos, vision, qualities, behaviours, and code of conduct. When you, as the business owner, are in alignment with your customers they will thrive on that connection and become your biggest cheerleaders.

Never forget the value of storytelling

Tied in with your core values will be an abundance of stories, and you will be able to connect with your ideal customer by sharing your core values via storytelling.

If you follow me on social media you will, no doubt, have heard me talk about having my son, Sam, on New Year’s Day 2005. He kept me waiting for a week before bursting into the world and helping me know love like never before.

Having a family changed my outlook on life. I recognised that my values had shifted and I needed a new purpose for me as well as the purpose of being Sam’s mum, so my Truly Madly Baby journey began. This was the business I took into?Dragons’ Den.

What stories can you tell that showcase your core values?

Consider the following:

• Where is the starting point of your story?
• What is the inspiring moment?
• Which core value are you sharing?
• What is the turning point of your story?
• What solution did you find that would help your audience?

Although you are sharing your personal stories in relation to your core values, your ideal customer will be relating them to their own lives and challenges.

They want to recognise themselves (and their values) in your storytelling so they are confident that you are the person to help them.

Clarifying your story will help you see yourself as the expert you are, and help your customers see you as their first brand/business choice.

How can you learn more about core values in your business?

If you want to learn more about core values and how they influence your sales,?schedule a virtual cuppa with me, and we can discuss how I can help you.

“Jules is all about doing it right! Right education, right training, right attitude, right outcomes for all! If you want to do it right, speak to Jules White.”?Asvin Chauhan, CEO Pharma Wealth

Alternatively, you can join my newly refurbished Sales Academy and build on everything you’ve learned in this post to create success in your business and deliver an unparalleled sales experience.

“I can say the Sales Academy is great value for money – just the monthly Q&A sessions make the fee worth it. I always leave with valuable insights on sales and business. And the modules (I’ve done so far, at least) are packed with useful info and myth busting around sales.”?Nick Diakanastasis, Public Speaking & Presentation Skills Coach

Join me for a ‘Walk down the High Street‘ and see what the new Sales Academy looks like.

Want to find out more? Schedule a?virtual cuppa?with me, and we can have a chat about the membership or my other coaching services.