Should Small Businesses Talk About Politics?
It’s an age old question. Should we share what we believe? Should we sit quietly by? Does either help or hurt relationships, and by effect, sales?
Our latest entry into the debate is Sticker Mule, an online custom printer. Last week, following President Trump’s assassination attempt, co-founder Anthony Constantino made a call for political peace through the company e-newsletter. He also revealed that he is a Trump supporter and ended the email with a sale offer on t-shirts.
Naturally, the email came off inauthentic and out of left field. In their 14 year history, Sticker Mule has never discussed politics with their customer base before. It also feels a bit awkward to offer a sales coupon after talking about political peace.
The pièce de résistance? Constantino taking to social media to argue with his detractors.
And so, #stickergate was born.
It’s not not the right move…
Basically, a co-founder took a big swing-and-miss sharing his political beliefs and trying to entice the company’s followers to act on a sale. But, what can we as small business owners learn from this? Is it as obvious as “hey, don’t talk about politics?”
I would actually say no. In fact, I would tell *some* of you that it’s perfectly fine to talk about politics, faith and even social issues. The numbers even back us up:
As recently as 2022, 82% of consumers claimed they wanted to purchase goods and services from brands that aligned with their values.*
As with all things though, it all depends on how you go about it. The disconnect in #stickergate truly didn’t come from their message. Rather, it came because no one expected Sticker Mule to share their political opinions. Again, this is something they’ve never done before in 14 years. It felt like when a company unceremoniously shelves their rainbow logo July 1st and doesn’t mention a word about it until the next Pride month.
So how do we do it right? And, has anyone actually done it right?
Really? There’s a good way to do it?
Since their inception, Patagonia has made their values clear and public, to the point of publishing a book about their culture. Starting in the 80s, they made donations to a number of conservation groups, followed by Planned Parenthood in the 90s. More recently, they included politically charged tags on their clothing.
Plenty of small businesses operate similarly. Hope Outfitters, a Pro-Life, Christian clothing company, gives 100% of profits to a new charity every year. With rulings related to abortion coming down, their social media was extremely active last year, stating their opinion on the issue as well as related organizations they supported.
The reason companies like Hope Outfitters and Patagonia can take these public stands? It’s organic to who they are. The views align with their pre-established, well outlined and often discussed philosophy. It’s also that philosophy that customers know well and believe in, making them passionate supporters.
We know there are plenty of people out there who believe businesses should never talk about politics. We also know people who purchased t-shirts through Sticker Mule’s email sale last week. We at White Hound believe it’s no different than talking about religion, social issues, etc. - if it’s a major part of your company’s philosophy and “why,” feel free. If not, don’t touch it with a ten foot pole.
At the end of the day, our advice is simple: it’s a matter of nuance and authenticity. Follow what you and your biggest fans have come together over.
P.S. If you’re interested in reading Sticker Mule’s original message, you can find it here.
If you’re curious whether or not you should share your thoughts on a sensitive topic from your small business platform, White Hound is happy to help you wade through those potentially choppy waters. Contact us today through the form here.
*https://consumergoods.com/new-research-shows-consumers-more-interested-brands-values-ever