Purpose Driven Marketing and Small Businesses.

In today’s modern capitalist economy, consumers have the autonomy to pick and choose which businesses they give their money to. The onus is then on various agencies, consultancies, and other small or large businesses to be very particular about the brand image they create. Purpose-Driven Marketing is one strategy that businesses, especially small businesses, can use to concretize their space in the brand loyalty of a consumer. 

Purpose-driven marketing exists on the foundation of consciously highlighting a particular cause that a brand supports and communicating this message clearly to the clients and wider consumer market. This type of marketing establishes a target audience, using an emotional connection to encourage the consumer to support this brand and its cause over another brand delivering the same product with a different or no cause aligned to it. According to a 2015 Deloitte Millennial survey, 91% of millennials would switch from one brand to another one associated with a specific cause they supported.

So how can small businesses in Jamaica use purpose-driven marketing to their advantage? The small business has the benefit of having a more personable relationship with the consumer compared to the large corporation. They are very involved in the creation of the product and the product reaching the buyer. Therefore, they can choose a cause to be aligned with their business and invoke this in their business from production to promotion to purchase. Small businesses have the benefit of coming off as more authentic because the owners can fully be the face of the business and first-hand display the support of the cause. 

If for example, a Jamaican designer has a fashion line they are promoting under the purpose of sustainable fashion, remaining consistent with this image from production to purchase, they can authentically sell their product under this cause. This will appeal to the consumers who are against large scale fashion production and all the unethical practices surrounding those means of production. Thus, using a purpose-driven marketing strategy promoting a sustainable development cause, allows them to reach their target audience and benefit from appealing to something the consumer values and supports. 

Digital marketing complements the use of purpose-driven marketing particularly for a small island like Jamaica. Digital marketing facilitates a wider audience to promote this brand and the subsequent cause. With the broader community on the internet, Jamaican small businesses, such as the fashion example above, will be able to appeal to reach persons all over the world who are interested in sustainable fashion and supporting small businesses. 

Creating a worthy cause for your business and adequately marketing around this cause will prove to increase your audience and be more fruitful for your business, especially in this digital age. People want to feel purpose in the things they give their money and time to, and if your business can fulfill this need for consumers, then it certainly is worth looking into.