July 15, 2023
Embracing the Power of Choice
Do your customers know about your sustainability program? Do they care? Make the answer to both an easy "yes" by putting them in control of the good you do.
Do your customers know about your sustainability program? Do they care? Make the answer to both an easy "yes" by putting them in control of the good you do.
Let’s face it- we are living in an age of abundance. As consumers, we expect options and newness when it comes to everything- from streaming services to dating apps. And while having a plethora of options might seem daunting to some, it’s ultimately a good thing as it empowers us and improves our lives. There’s actually significant data to support that customers are more unhappy with a lack of options over an abundance of them. And in the world of e-commerce, it’s especially crucial that brands provide a variety of choices that appeal to consumers’ diverse values and purchasing preferences. Every year, these consumer values shift more and more towards sustainability. But while brands are eager to offer a million options when it comes to, well, just about everything, they still aren’t taking consumer preference into consideration when it comes to doing good.
More often than not, a brand will focus on a single cause that aligns with its values and interests and then go all-in on leveraging its platform and resources to address that cause. This could look like donating a percentage of sales (think Ethos Water donating 5 cents towards clean water per bottle). Or, the brand could allocate other resources towards a cause like TOMS Shoes’ One for One model (one pair of shoes donated to an impoverished person for each pair sold).
It’s easy to see why other brands might try to follow in their footsteps and adopt this one-cause approach- who wouldn’t want to be the next TOMS or Ethos? Although, it’s worth mentioning that those brands are the exception, not the rule. Most brands that try to implement this kind of sustainability program fail to resonate with customers and their message falls on deaf ears. Which, is ironic considering one of the main reasons these brands adopt this one-cause model is for marketing purposes. Focusing on just one issue seems easier to communicate to consumers- “We care about the environment, end of story.” In reality, this comes across as a superficial way of checking the “we do good” box rather than making an effort to create a program that drives real impact.
What these brands don’t realize is that if they ditched this limiting one-cause mindset they could show they care about a variety of causes and appeal to a wider audience; thus attracting new customers, increasing LTV, and maximizing their positive impact on the world.
As brands, we want to deliver highly-personalized messages to each person in our audience and one-cause sustainability programs completely undermine our ability to do so. Our customers are diverse- if we think about all the ways we might segment an audience, “cause they care about” would generate a variety of segments. And we think that in today’s world of personalized, on-demand shopping experiences, the causes consumer dollars go towards should be just as customizable as the products they buy.
Plus, imagine how empowered your customer would feel if they could choose where their dollars go, not just what they buy. To us, it’s a win-win situation: not only do consumers feel good about their purchase, but they also feel valued and appreciated by the brand. And who doesn’t love feeling special? This personal touch leads to a more positive customer experience which ultimately leads to long-term customer loyalty.
On top of that, by allowing customers to choose the impact their dollars will make, they’ll feel more connected to the cause (and as a result, your brand) and feel a stronger sense of purpose and fulfillment in their purchasing decisions.
So, how are today’s cutting-edge brands empowering their customers to choose how their dollars will make an impact? This is where we come in.
Hi, we’re +Purpose. Put simply, we help you seamlessly integrate impact investing into your checkout process and empower your customers with cause selection. Your customers help you make a real impact with every purchase by giving them the opportunity to choose a cause to invest in at checkout, at no additional cost to them. Your customers choose the causes you invest in, get rewarded for doing so, and get to do it all over again. It’s like a never-ending cycle of doing good, all while supporting your brand.
Not only will your customers have that warm, fuzzy feeling about their purchases, but they’ll also be making an even bigger impact on the world.
Join us in helping your customers make a real impact with every purchase. Together we can do more good, dollar for dollar!