Defining the values you share with your consumer begins with you. You have to look within – honestly – before you can really grasp the bigger picture. Our values shape our priorities and guide our behaviors toward engaging in activities and relationships we feel aligned with. By nature, we gravitate towards others who share our values.

Try this exercise: sit down and think about the things that move you. Without too much hesitation, write down five that come to mind. It doesn’t matter if they are brands, places, people, whatever – the question is: what do they represent?  Are there any similarities between them? Themes?  

When I did this, I saw that I value creativity, family and quality. When I think about the brands I gravitate towards, they all share one or all of these values with me. We, in turn, connect on an emotional level.

We have a saying at Oxford Communications: emotion drives consumers to action.  

As a brand, defining your core values helps you write your brand story. At Oxford, we utilize these values and work with clients to build stories, campaigns and content that is genuine, and compelling. These shared values are your connection – your lifeline – to your ideal and dedicated audience.  

Take our client, NJM Insurance, for example. Selling insurance is a serious undertaking. As our VP of Strategy, Chris Ledford says, “When we really look at the essence of what we are doing, we aren’t selling insurance – we are selling protection.” NJM’s customers relate to this because everyone wants to feel secure and protected – and they want to ensure their loved ones are secured and protected as well.  

When digging deep to define your values, ask yourself these questions:  

• What do I value?  
• How do my values align with what I do?  
• How do my values align with my peers’ and employees’ values?  
• How do my values align with my customers’ values?  

The next post in this series will be about taking your values and giving them life.