Speak With Actions
By Mike Geraci
Here are two simple ways outdoor brands can forge connections with consumers: One, do things. Two, tell people.
Every decision that presents itself arrives hand-in-hand with a sacrifice; for every gain, inevitably there’s a loss. In business, when it comes to making a decision between purpose versus profit, few people are willing to sacrifice profits.
And yet, we are told that it is critical to define, live by, and manage to our purpose. “Start with Why,” as motivational speaker Simon Sinek enthuses.
This dynamic is particularly acute in the outdoor industry, in which our most iconic brands were founded in the shops of passionate, principled craftsmen. When a hobby or a passion starts to appear more like a potential career and livelihood—a business—the entire motivation equation can easily shift from passion and purpose to profits.
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Today, most manufactures that appear to be purpose-driven are actually just doing a better-than-average job executing a cause-related marketing initiative, because the market requires an outdoor brand to have a purpose. Because everyone is trying to figure out how to be Patagonia.
Go beyond the campaign and you’re unlikely to find a holistic vision driving the entire business. The high-minded purpose lives only in the marketing department. The fleshy brand purpose lacks a spine.
So, while the words and marketing campaigns capture “Why?” the KPIs [Key Performance Indicators] that everyone is managing to on a day-to-day basis dictate, “For money.” That’s the disconnect. That’s why the purpose and “Why?” of many manufacturers come off as hollow, to staff and to customers. That’s where specialty retail comes in.
Actions speak louder than words. Actions, not products, define how customers relate to your brand. These actions are already baked into your ethos: Environmental responsibility, sustainability, advocacy, outdoor ethics, clinics, and customer service.
The opportunity is to rethink how you promote these actions. Turn up the volume on what makes specialty special through stories and an audience Yes, you should market actions as you market the products in your shop.
According to advertising legend John Hegarty, “A brand is an agglomeration of stories linked together by a vision.” But what are the stories without an audience? The good news: You can buy audiences.
Tell people through email platforms and personalization, paid social media campaigns, and media relations initiatives. Tell people on billboards, in print, and on TV. Take actions. Tell people.
The specialty retailer model is better positioned and set up to be purpose-driven than manufacturers are. Specialty retailers can provide the local context that makes initiatives relevant in a way that online, mass, Amazon, and brands can’t or won’t.
So what do you sacrifice? If you’re spending the majority of your marketing budget promoting product sales or in-store events, you’re missing an opportunity to increase differentiation and awareness. If you’re competing on price, you’ve already lost. Increase value by telling stories about all the amazing ways you empower outdoor adventures.
Mike Geraci is a columnist for Outdoor Retailer Magazine and principle of Geraci & Co., a brand strategy and communications group in Jackson, Wyoming.