A business doesn't need an opinion on every headline. But when an issue touches your work, your people or the place you call home, ducking the conversation can leave customers wondering where you stand.
My read: begin with what you actually do. If you support a local team, name the program. If you fund trail work, show the work. A grand statement with nothing behind it is a rough way to introduce yourself.
What the research can tell us
NYU Stern's Center for Sustainable Business and Edelman studied how people responded to sustainability messages. In testing across seven brands, adding a social sustainability claim to a core product message expanded brand reach by an average of 23 percentage points compared with a category claim alone.
That is a research finding about the messages tested, not a promise of sales for your business. The useful question is whether your message describes a real commitment that fits the work you do. Read the NYU Stern research on sustainability communications.
Give people something they can check
Say what you're doing, who benefits and what has happened so far. Credit the people carrying the load. If the work is still underway, say that too. You can be proud of the effort without dressing it up as a finished victory.
Then listen. A thoughtful question from a customer deserves an answer. You don't have to turn every disagreement into a public brawl.
Let the story sound like your business
For a Tahoe shop, outdoor business or Northern California nonprofit, that might mean a short interview, a photo story or a clear page explaining the project. Choose the form that helps people understand it. Keep the words honest enough that you'd be comfortable saying them face to face.
I can help shape that story, from the first conversation to the copy, photography and video. Explore Cooper Marketing & Media services, or tell me what you're working on.
Stay’nThirsty
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