In life, we decide the standards and principles that are important to us and do our best to live within those parameters. Some are obvious – we won’t harm anyone except for the sake of our self-defense, we won’t steal, and we may tell white lies but still understand that honesty is better than deception.

Standards can also be quite complex and personal to you. You may never partake in gossip, for instance, because you know this can be damaging and you wouldn’t want that to be reflected back at you. You may try not to curse, because as you’ve gotten older you may think it’s wiser to clean up your speech (some people won’t consider this too important, and that’s fine too).

In the same way, a business has to consider all of the principles and positions it takes regarding its presence and responsibilities, as well as how it chooses to express itself from there. In this post, we’ll discuss some of  those standards, and better yet, how they’re expressed and received: 

Your Consumer Promises

Your consumer promises do matter, and they are listened to. It’s important to make certain you don’t just promise for the sake of marketing but put those plans into place. So for example, price guarantees should be given and acted upon, or at least portioned to a certain period in which you can give people fair warning should you limit that from then on. Consumer promises may also include warranties, customer support, and ethical standards. In other words, the way you structure your operations. If you fail to deliver, some may take that as hypocrisy, so it’s always important to be transparent about the plans you have in place.

Raw Materials & Supply

It’s very important to note the raw materials and supply measures you use to structure your business and its manufacturing or refining process. This could be as simple as ensuring you opt for suppliers that have been rated to a certain industry standard, or that you structure your manufacturing or producing process with the most reliable machinery parts and materials to cement your own quality assurance. When you take a careful look at how you develop these systems, you can identify where certain manufacturers may be meeting your standards, or possibly preventing them.

Added Value

The added value you provide is more than just a nice way to go the extra mile, it shows the priorities of your business and how you express them. So for example, some companies might donate a certain percentage of their profits to a mental health charity they believe in, which over the years could absolutely cause a real significant impact for the public good. Added value can also mean showcasing your commitment to diversity, sustainability, or ethical trading standards. Added value isn’t something you do for a reward necessarily, but how you choose to operate in the world. This can and does have the benefit of appealing to conscious consumers. 

With this advice, you’re sure to understand how and where your business standards are best expressed.