Whole Foods and a Whole Lot of Information



Just about every company has some sort of social media account, blog, YouTube channel, or podcast. These different platforms allow customers to connect with a brand on a deeper level and creates a stronger brand loyalty among followers. The loyalty with in follows and the trust they have for a brand causes them to become thought leaders.

So, what is thought leadership? It’s creating content over a specific topic for a specific audience. It’s not mean for small advertisements, it’ meant to answer the bigger questions that customers might have. This can be a nonprofit having a blog that highlights everything they are doing or the people they are serving, it could also be a car company having a YouTube channel showing their customers how to do things like change a tire or engine oil.

One company that does this well is Whole Foods.


Whole Foods is known for selling healthy foods. Because of their brand reputation, they have authority to say what is healthy and unhealthy. If something is bought at Whole Foods, it’s automatically assumed to be good for you. One way they have contributed to this reputation, is by offering their customers free recipes that use the foods in their stores. It doesn’t matter if you vegetarian, paleo, or gluten-free, they have recipes for you to try.


It’s difficult to eat healthy and to navigate different diets/dietary restrictions. So Whole Food’s is trying to make it as easy as possible, while promoting the products that they have in their stores.






But it doesn’t stop there! If you’re anything like my roommate, you may have a hard time cooking.





Whole Foods is trying to combat that with a series of YouTube videos that show you tips and tricks of cooking.



Whole Foods is using their brand loyalty and reputation to create content that is helpful for their customers. It isn’t basic advertisements, but it’s real information that customers can use in their everyday life.

Whole Foods. (N.D.). Healthy Eating. Retrieved from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthy-eating

Comments

  1. AlexisMarch 21, 2018 at 8:54 AM

    Well said! Thought leadership is excellent because it shows that you care enough about customers to go beyond advertising by offering helpful tips. I love that Whole Foods provides recipes that can be used with their products while also giving advice on the basics. For a customer like me who is not always confident in the kitchen, this is a practical means of engagement.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 22, 2018 at 7:22 PM

    This is a great post! Thought leadership is really important, and Whole Foods is an awesome example of this. Marketing is about a two-way conversation, and customers want to be more involved with the brands they love. My roommate also has problems when it comes to cooking. She set our steaks on fire once and didn't even offer to buy me dinner afterwards...and I was promised steak.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 23, 2018 at 10:34 AM

    I really like this blog because I have never used or been to whole foods but I have always heard great things and that comes with such great brand reputation that they have like you said. I also need to jump on that band wagon recipe thing because I am always trying to find something new to cook!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownMarch 25, 2018 at 9:52 AM

    Raegan,
    Thought leadership is important for companies looking to achieve long-term success. It keeps customers and future customers informed about the latest products and allows for interaction among everyone. Although I do not follow Whole Foods closely, it was creative of them to give their followers free, healthy recipes. Great marketing strategy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tori BradberyMarch 25, 2018 at 2:48 PM

    I really like how you mentioned that companies can promote their products, while simultaneously making their customers lives easier. If handled in the right way, customer benefit and company benefit are not mutually exclusive, creating a win for both parties. Great examples on how Whole Foods implements this into their marketing strategy!

    ReplyDelete

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