"WORK HARD; WEAR WHITE'S."

 

    

     White's Boots is an American boot manufacturer with a solid reputation- tried and true. For those who have bought a pair of White's, brand loyalty runs deep. Patrons often share their affection on the company's social media sites with a flood of positive emojis. Brand loyalists encourage others to buy their favorite style, distribute advice on how to care for and maintain the products after wear, and share why and how they've been the best boots for the job. Some share stories of their love affair or adventures with a particular White's product. No one asks them to share their experiences with the products but they do it anyway. They are just obsessed. Straight boot otaku.

     My first encounter with White's was working on timber units in Southern Oregon. If you don't know anything about grade, it is the slope of a landform. Timber units feel like a logger's Mount Everest. Your feet never touch flat earth until you get back into the crummy, an old logging rig, to head back to base. Good boots are crucial.

     The mountains may have bred my love but the fire line solidified my allegiance to this Washington based company. In some careers, boots are culture. Boots are pride. They encompass who you are, how hard you work, and how serious you take your career.  You can look at someone and know more than you'd like by what they have on their feet. Whether you are a lineman, firefighter, logger, rancher, hunter, or foreman; anyone that gets dirty and rugged for their living needs a pair. White's are a lifestyle. 

     "We're the last of a dying breed," is the tagline found on White's Instagram page. They have been making handmade boots since 1853 when Otis White solidified his family's legacy. White's has been outfitting soldiers and loggers since before your grandpa's grandfather. They are one of the last bootmakers that make every component of the boots by hand, fully customizable, fully rebuildable and entirely American made. Otis was known for valuing the worker and by extension wanted to offer the best money could buy. You can learn more about the history here. 

     White's Boot consistently responds to consumers on their social media accounts, interacting directly with buyers and creating a community. Even when the feedback is negative, White's jumps in to sell their product's value proposition and educate. One user (@its_raining_ben) highlighted a marketing challenge that the company faces, high prices. White's boots commonly range from $500 to $600 dollars, a high-cost to pay. Loggers and firefighters aren't necessarily earning white collar wages. The cost could seem exorbitant if you don't understand the unique benefits the boots offer, the lifespan of the product and the craftsmanship. White's pubic relations team quickly responded with reassurance. The reply reflected the company's competitive advantages and spotlighted their distinctiveness- the promise of quality. The boots are locally made in the US, hand welted, hand sewn and hand lasted. They are fully customizable and fully rebuildable. Few companies can boast of these feats. These are the distinct factors that sum up White's value proposition. White's response was  spot on-  kind but to the point and poignant.  They decidedly turned the user's opinion around and potentially brought in a handful of new customers. 

     In another exchange on the company's Instagram page, a buyer expressed his disappointment about a recent custom order and offered some advice to future buyers.  As an allegiant client, he felt a polite but cold-shoulder when reaching out to customer service directly

about his concern. This experience can make or break a consumer's loyalty. Spending upwards of half a grand on a pair of boots, you'd expect to be happy with the product. Once again, White's Boots social media bridged the gap. After leaving the comment, the team immediately reached out via direct message to the consumer to resolve the issue. This is how you keep the community you have worked so hard to create- value the buyers.

     Overwhelmingly, beyond issues such as these, the feedback on social media is enthusiastic. Satisfied consumers leaving remarks that would lead anyone researching the brand to believe that they won't be let down. White's certainly does diligence with reputation management but they also sincerely partake in the joy and pride of the coterie. They thank their customers, fist bump, high five and listen to suggestions to improve their customer service.

     

     Tapping into the mind of the marketplace, White's boots are a prime example of how to use storytelling to sell products. They've been outfitting folks for close to a hundred years and clearly understand their buyers. They recognize the blood that runs through their assemblage and appeal directly to their fascinations. Sharing the history of pioneers in their consumer's fields of work, they foster the celebration of heritage and pride in your work as well as educate. On their Instagram page, Whites often posts old photography of early 20th century loggers and smokejumpers. Attached to the photos they share a story about their ancestor's grit and recount the trails they helped blaze for modern day woodsman and wildland firefighters. This gives consumers another reason to justify investing in what they're doing and what they need to do it well. Selling the idea that buying White's is not only for yourself but in honor of those who came before you and necessary for paving the way for the generations to come behind. 

      White's social media posts are often littered with #usamade, #handmade, #wildlandfirefighter, #workboots, etc. Utilizing hashtags as a marketing tool, White's is able to target a highly specific audience, analyze trends and monitor their reputation. Additionally, it allows White's to keep an eye on their industry and their competition. The better you understand the preferences and needs of your market, the more capable you are to cater to the changing demands and expectations. Not to mention it is shameless self-promotion, in the most contemporary fashion. 

     If I was brand manager for White's, I would offer a rewards program for customers and create a platform to share favorite styles and custom orders. By allowing individuals to share their story and custom order specifications, others would be encouraged and educated on what would work best for their own personal needs. It would increase available style knowledge and feedback, drive up custom sales and foster community around the brand. There could be weekly or monthly featured customers adding to the storytelling factor employed by White's. Encouraging people to nominate themselves or another loyal White's wearer and honor other local heroes would add relevancy to the modern market. It could also potentially generate free video and photography that could be used for marketing purposes.

     Investigating how White's Boot's listens and responds to their customers on social platforms taught me the importance of creating community, valuing the voice of your buyers and providing quick feedback to those who reach out. First impressions are important but quality products and exceptional customer service is the lifeblood of a corporation. Listening to the heartbeat and keeping your hand on the pulse of your industry will prevent potential problems and lead to success and longevity.