Think about when you shop online, or you put out a bid for new potential partner work.
Do you check the stuffy, robotic brand website first? Or do you go to the brand that has treated you like a person, earning your trust in one way or another (social media engagement, great customer service, etc.)?
Do you prefer to work with rigid, by-the-book organizations and bland people, or with partners you can engage with on both a professional and at least a somewhat social, human level?
I’m willing to bet most of you are like I have always been in business: given the choice, you’d go with the second options every time. So why wouldn’t the same thing apply to your marketing?
Human-to-Human Marketing
While the term may seem daunting, simplifying Human-to-Human Marketing to its core is really very simple. Andrew Dalglish describes it well, stating it “…is really just a marketing fundamental – recognising that each member of the target market is a person (representing a business) with their own unique behaviours, preferences and emotions. By intimately understanding this individual they can be engaged with the right messages, at the right time, through the right channel.”
Put another way: we want our humanity back in our marketing. We want you to show us, and engage with us about, your product. We want to hear what our peers have to say about it. We want to learn. We want emotion. We want to laugh. We want to cry. We want to feel.
None of this is new, of course, but our voices are finally be heard through:
Technology + Social Media
As HubSpot nicely sums up, “We live in a remarkable, revolutionary time where humans are more connected to technology than ever before. With technology comes the constant influx of information thrown at consumers from every which way on a daily basis. Out of necessity, we’re all learning to be selective.”
As technology, and social media, continues to expand its reach in our daily lives, humanity and quality are the new kings. Which brand are you going to interact with and give your business to – Blah Blah #739, which only posts to sell their products and spits out generic, useless blog posts, or the one that tries to understand you, engage you and be helpful in numerous ways, even beyond their products? Exactly.
Worth the Investment
Even in our digital age, the old business adage still applies – 20% of your customers make up 80% of your sales. Why is this so crucial?
It lets you know where to start. With audiences that can reach into the millons, you cannot absolutely personalize for each specific person – nor are you expected to. By focusing on the top 20% of people driving your sales, you’re targeting your most valuable segment, creating even tighter consumer bonds and more dedicated brand advocates, and (hopefully) establishing great reviews and social proof for your future audiences.
Humanizing your brand is not an easy transformation to make, and it extends far beyond marketing, but it’s one brands can no longer afford to avoid.
With returns including higher ROI, more dedicated consumers and brand advocates, and a stronger market presence and value for your brand, why would you?