Empathy in Marketing: A B2B Gamechanger and More – The CMO Whisperer’s Friday Fast Five
Friday means the Friday Fast Five, five curated articles by yours truly.
- Empathy in Marketing: A B2B Gamechanger
Source: Marketing Profs
Why you need to read it: For the simple fact that so many B2B marketers fail to realize they are in fact marketing to another human being. Absolutely blows my mind I need to even write these words in 2023 but here we are.
What you need to learn from it: While some may scoff that this is just another made-up name for being human, the fact is “empathic marketing calls for not only understanding where your prospects are in their journey but also aligning your messages to resonate with their emotions and needs at each stage. It’s about establishing a genuine, empathetic connection that places their needs and emotions at the forefront of your marketing strategy.”
TL;DR: “Technology has brought about efficiency and convenience, but the human element is often sidelined. Empathic marketing is a powerful strategy that puts understanding your audience’s deeper needs at the forefront of your business interactions.”
- What Marketing Should Look Like In Its Relationship Era
Source: Forbes
Why you need to read it: Ok, ok, I know this sounds like #1, another new form of marketing. Actually, the term “relationship marketing” has been around for years. The fact is any article that can remind marketers that the relationship between a consumer and a brand is everything, is always worth reading.
What you need to learn from it: This is not just about consumers, it’s also about employees with the writer correctly stating that “marketing should have a touchpoint throughout the organization to help make strategic decisions and help ensure a company’s purpose is being realized” and “for that realization to happen, marketing needs to help both employees and customers find and develop their own connection with the brand.”
TL;DR: “The foundation of this era is based upon creating an ongoing and all-way conversation between both customers and brand that create long-term relationships.”
- Marketers Must Address the B2B Data Gap
Source: Adweek
Why you need to read it: Building off what I wrote re: the first article, this piece not-so-gently reminds us that “the B2B and B2C lives of consumers are no longer—if they ever were—distinct entities.”
What you need to learn from it: There is a clear lack of insights when it comes to B2B data, especially when compared to B2C. Moreover, when data is provided the methods can be quite archaic. The fact is, as the writer puts it, “B2B data should not be treated as a siloed add-on or industry-specific tool, but rather as an integral layer of insights for all B2C and B2B brands.”
TL;DR: “B2B understandings shouldn’t manifest as a dedicated identifier, but rather as a core component of all the in-market identifiers being rolled out right now.”
- Ways ChatGPT Could Be Harming Your Customer Experience (and What To Do About It)
Source: Forbes
Why you need to read it: For all – and I mean ALL the hype and hoopla surrounding ChatGPT and AI, there is indeed a potential downside when it comes to its use in CX. And as we all know, CX is, well it may not be everything, but it’s damn close.
What you need to learn from it: According to one expert “not only is the advice that ChatGPT channels through your customer support agents generic and non-actionable, but it doesn’t know what constitutes a great customer service experience.” Additionally, ChatGPT “won’t take into account your entire customer experience strategy or tell you when your online sales flow doesn’t fit the mental model of your customers.”
TL;DR: “Instead of tapping a few prompts into ChatGPT and doing what it recommends without questioning, keep thinking critically about your operations. Channel advice through your company’s own process and quality standards. Use it to enhance, not replace. Use it for ideas, not advice you take without questioning.”
- Generative Capacity of Sound in Marketing
Source: Silicon India
Why you need to read it: Sound influences behavior. “Sound isn’t just a mood enhancer; it’s a driver of consumer behavior. Sound can nudge us towards making decisions, whether it’s the familiar chime of a brand’s notification or the revving of an engine in a car commercial.”
What you need to learn from it: The use of audio branding – “the strategic use of sound elements such as music, voice, and sound effects to create a distinctive brand identity and enhance the consumer experience” – is extremely powerful. Some of the most successful brands understand this and maximize it to its fullest.
TL;DR: “Sound is more than just auditory stimulation; it’s a potent psychological trigger. It has the uncanny ability to tap into our emotions, bypassing rational thought and striking a deep within our minds. The resonance of a well-crafted jingle or the soothing ambiance of a spa’s background music can instigate robust emotional responses in consumers. Understanding this psychology is critical to leveraging it effectively in marketing.”
And speaking of sound… Listen Up!
No, literally, Listen Up! System 1’s latest research, in partnership with Radiocentre, entitled Listen Up! pulls back the curtain on how brands can create audio advertising that stirs the passions and drives business profits.
Click here to download a copy of Listen Up! to learn how audio advertising can produce long-term brand effects on par with, or greater than TV advertising, a whole lot more!