Empathy, expertise & generosity in online marketing
I recently did a talk for Figaro Digital on how empathy, expertise and generosity can drive success in online marketing. You can read some of the key points below…
Why empathy, expertise and generosity are the real drivers of online marketing success
We all want to grow our businesses, and we spend a lot of time and energy working out how to get more customers, more revenue and more market share. More, more, more!
In the digital space, this translates into getting more links, more likes, more customer data, better demographic profiles, lots of good ratings online, top Google rankings and better customer engagement. We might want to be trending on Twitter, as well, although we might not really know why!
The question is; where does this constant quest for ‘more’ really lead us? Have we all become too greedy and self-obsessed?
The online space is complicated. Consumers are becoming more skilled and educated in their dealings with the web, and we as marketers are relying on Google’s increasingly sophisticated algorithm to gain good rankings and bring the right kind of traffic to our websites.
We think: ‘how can we give Google what it wants? More content, more links?’
But what Google really wants to see is good businesses. We need to stop focusing on what we think Google wants, and start thinking about how we can grow and improve as a business.”
EXPERTISE
Make sure you’re an expert in your business; go above and beyond. Give more, it’s sometimes the small things which trigger someone to give something back or remember you.
Reviews are increasingly important. By giving more to your consumers you’re much more likely to build up a positive review profile online.
Make people feel good. They’re more likely to talk to their friends about you, like you on Facebook and generally send the right signals to the search engines, as well as other users. When someone likes you, they’re much more likely to respond well to what you do.
EMPATHY & GENEROSITY
Do we spend enough time thinking about our consumers?
Not just about how we can get them to buy more of our stuff, or how we can acquire them faster or cheaper. Put yourself in their shoes, so you understand who they are, their characteristics, the world that they operate in.
What are they interested in, what do they need, what do they fear and what do they hope for?
Then stop and think: what is my business doing that’s going to add value to these people’s lives? This is where you’re able to create a value exchange.
It’s in the giving that we can engage with people and get more brand salience, more brand awareness, more consideration, increased brand search and more word of mouth – and a better online presence in the process.
