If you're reading this, you're probably a marketer who sometimes really hates being marketed. Chances are you've received annoying ads, sent excessive emails, or simply dealt with selling products that you don't like or need. But consider another perspective: Have you ever, knowingly or unknowingly, served annoying ads, sent excessive email pushing products to customers who weren't interested in them? We all know the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. Yet, as marketers, we don't always practice this. If you wouldn't want a boring advertisement following you for months, why do it to a potential customer? Empathy is a virtue in life, but it's also important in marketing. This is especially true as consumers seek to have conversations with brands that can simplify their buying process, not force the sale.
By approaching digital advertising, branding and customer service with empathy, you can speak to Employee Email Database your customers the way they would like to be spoken to and generate more revenue. Digital advertising: improve your targeting so that your ads are really useful As the only person among my friends and family who works in marketing, I often hear that all-too-familiar refrain: "I hate ads." Instead of being insulted, I recognize that they don't actually hate ads, they just hate bad ads that don't interest them, annoy them, or make them fear someone is listening to their conversations through their phone's microphone . When done well and with a healthy dose of empathy, ads can actually deliver a wonderful user experience that turns into real revenue. Here's a real-life example: I recently moved into an apartment and I'm in full-fledged nesting mode. I have a fondness for traditional rugs and desperately wanted one in my bathroom. But I couldn't really use a shag wool rug as a bath mat – mildew isn't fun for anyone. I spent a few days searching unsuccessfully for workarounds to my mold problems. And then I got a Facebook ad from online rug retailer, Ruggable. I had never heard of them before, but while browsing their site, I realized that their product was exactly what I was looking for: stylish, waterproof and machine washable. Needless to say, I now have a nice sturdy piece in my bathroom. I was really happy that this company served me an ad.
But in reality, I wasn't thrilled with the ad itself - I was thrilled to be presented with a solution to my problem in a non-intrusive or pushy way. As a result, I perceived Ruggable as a credible company with a great product, so I had no qualms about paying a pretty penny for a bath mat. There's an important lesson here: the more empathetic your ads are to potential customers, the better their perception of your brand, their user experience, and their chances of conversion. When crafting your digital advertising campaigns, be sure to approach your targeting with this kind of empathy. While of course you don't want your scope to be too narrow, be sure to do what you can to hypertarget your ads to the people most likely to benefit from what you're selling. Personalized landing pages can also go a long way in making potential customers feel special after clicking. Of course, there's a very fine line between empathetic and scary or annoying. But as my rug buying example demonstrates, this line comes down to one thing: helpfulness. What if I look at a pair of shoes I really like online and an ad follows me for two weeks? A bit boring and not really useful (although I could buy them anyway). What if I prank a friend about a restaurant chain and suddenly I have Facebook ads for that chain? Very scary and not helpful at all. What if I have a dilemma when it comes to interior design and I am presented with a product that solves my problem? Empathetic, helpful and fair. Find out how marketers can benefit from design thinking Branding: Know your customers as people, not numbers In digital marketing, we tend to forget that there are two kinds of data: Quantitative and qualitative.