Introducing Conscious Commerce

There was a time – not very long ago – when we made purchase decisions or buying decisions in an unconscious way. It didn’t matter so much what we were buying, nor did the quality of the service or product matter that much… we were just there to consume. And we made our purchase decisions unconsciously because that’s what we did. We consumed things – unconsciously.

It happened at the personal level, which created a huge financial crisis. And it happened at the business level, which frankly was a reflection of our personal values. But those days are gone, and I believe we are waking up to the ridiculousness of our past behavior and charting a new course into an era of conscious commerce.

Conscious commerce is punctuated by balance, which is attained by achieving a state of equal exchange and value between parties at every level of interaction in an organization.  In a conscious commerce environment, clients and vendors are in balance, employees are in balance with employers – even owners find balance with their companies.  The process for achieving balance is quite simple, however it requires a significant shift in thinking on the part of anyone who wants to participate and prosper fairly in this new era.

The four basic components of conscious commerce are:

1. Equal Exchange: this is the building block of conscious commerce and defines how “transactions” must occur between parties.
2. Focus: To succeed in a conscious commerce environment, companies must pare down their offering and their staff to only those things/people who are the very best in class.
3. Communication: The thoughts and messaging that drive your business will need to be different for conscious commerce.  Vague, meaningless metaphorical messaging and communicating AT, rather than WITH your customers will become a thing of the past.  Companies that want to succeed will re-define themselves and learn to communicate in a meaningful way with their audiences.
4. Customer Experience: The last great frontier of differentiation in a global economy – and the means to surviving global commoditization.  To be truly successful, not only must you provide a great product or service, but you must also deliver an exceptional customer experience.

By adhering to the tenets of conscious commerce, forward thinking companies will be able to position themselves for success in the new economy.  It will look different, and feel different than anything they have experienced in the past, and they’ll have to communicate differently than ever before. But to those who figure it out, the possibilities are limitless.