Each November we celebrate World Kindness Day. In the book Purple Goldfish 2.0, I explored how there are three different types of acts of kindness in business:
1. Random Acts of Kindness – the 1.0 kind. Good deeds or unexpected acts. They are usually one-off, feel-good activations. A random act of kindness is giving with no expectation of immediate return, except maybe for potential PR value.
2. Branded Acts of Kindness – next level 2.0. Here the item given is usually tied closely with the brand and its positioning. It’s less random, more planned, and potentially a series of activations. This has the feel of a traditional marketing campaign.
3. Lagniappe Acts of Kindness – 3.0 stuff. This is where kindness is imbedded into your brand. It is rooted in the idea of “added value” to the transaction. Not a one-off or a campaign, but an everyday practice that’s focused on customers of your brand. You are giving that little extra to your current customers.
The 3.0 version evolves the concept beyond a tactic or even a campaign to a brand differentiator. It’s a commitment that becomes a staple of the customer experience. We call these consistent acts of kindness Purple Goldfish.
A Purple Goldfish is differentiation by added value. This means finding signature elements that help you stand out, improve customer experience, and drive positive word of mouth. They are little consistent extras that either add value or reduce effort for customers.
How are you embedding kindness into your brand on a daily basis?