A great business is one that solves a problem everyone has.
Every person is constantly searching for guides to help them solve their problems or becoming better version of themselves.
When a business can identify that problem, clearly articulate it in their marketing collateral and have a simple plan to help them solve this problem along with the emotional frustration caused by the problem, their brand message will be very powerful.
The key then lies in the ability to identify that problem in the first place and understand how it made your customers feel.
“People don’t buy what they need, people buy what they want and justify it with facts”
No one needs a sugary drink but everyone wants happiness. When people think of Coca Cola, they associate the brand with the joy and happiness that are brought together with the drink.
No one needs an iPhone but everyone wants a device that is sexy, intuitive and easy-to-use. When people think of Apple, they associate the brand with a social status, creative people who have dreams and Apple has that tool to help you pursue your dreams.
Apple sells what you can do with technology
Speaking in your customers’ interest is a powerful communication tool and when we work with our clients, they get it because it is obvious. Then next question then gets in: How do I know what customers want in the first place? How do I speak in their ‘language’?
It’s empathy.
Empathy is your ability to imagine yourself in someone else’s position, to identify and understand another’s situation, feeling and motives.
Empathy is proven to be essential in building and enhancing relationships, it doesn’t matter whether you are communicating as an individual or as a brand, when you are able to demonstrate empathy in your communication, magic happens.
Your customers begins to have an emotional connection with your brand, they start to trust and build a rapport with you because you speak in the language they can relate to.
They would be much more comfortable making a purchase from you because you showed that you understand them and you empathised their problems, this is powerful.
Customers buy from those brands who understand them, simple.
When a pregnant mother first finds out she has a baby, she goes through emotional swings, early pregnancy sickness and change in body behaviour — men as husbands really cannot do much to sooth her pain. It is not that we don’t care, we are just not women so we do not experience that pain.
So as a caring husband we bring her to see a gynaecologist who empathised her problem saying that ‘it is ok, don’t worry, I know what you are going through. As a mother myself I’d been through this twice, come here and let me take a look at you…’
The mother suddenly lights up, her mood suddenly swing to 100% positive and she said, ‘YES I AM SO GLAD YOU UNDERSTAND ME.’
She returned to the same gynaecologist the second time, the third time.
That is the power of empathy.
How can you demonstrate empathy as a brand as a business then?
1) Speak to your customers
It really is as simple as this.
A lot of brands make the key mistake by not really understand their customers’ problems and how the problems made them feel.
Instead they spend so much time trying to work out themselves what is the best product to serve their customers. Eventually when the product is launched, it simply doesn’t resonate with the customers so the business fails.
So speak to your customers, launch a product that really help people solve their problem, you will have a successful business.
2) Have a specific set of questions to ask them
When you are engaging with a customers, you should have a specific set of questions to ask them so you can let them open up and talk about their problems.
What is the problem they are facing?
How is the problem making them feel?
When you have spoken to enough customers, you realise all the information converge. You will begin will work what you really want to sell.
3) Make it obvious in your marketing collateral
Finally when you have identified that struggle, make it obvious in your marketing collateral such as your website, sales pitch, email campaign and content marketing.
“We understand how it feels to…..”
Position yourself as the guide to help your customers overcome their problem.
People’s attention span is really short these days, if they are not able to communicate your message clearly and consistently in your brand message, you are confusing your customers and you will lose sales.
Its all about communication, it has nothing to do with your money, talent or track-record.
At Soft Skills Academy, we created an innovative 6-step communication formula to help you clarify your brand message using the techniques of storytelling. When you are able to communicate a clear, compelling and consistent message, people will start listen and engage with your product, your company will begin to grow much faster.
