Build a connection that can’t be broken by weak networks
by Adwright, 23 November 18
“Digital communication is completely different from in-person, face-to-face conversations. One will give you surface insights, and the other really gives you depth.”
Joe Gebbia
How can we stay personal in the face of rapidly developing technology? What steps can we take to humanize our platforms, set us apart and truly connect with consumers?
Know who you are and have a clear message
We all know that one person – the one that stands in corners of rooms, hoping you don’t see them, afraid to talk because they just don’t know who they are or what they have to say so they change their personality with every different person and every different context, trying their hardest to fit in. Imagine this person as a brand. That is not who you want to be.
Knowing who you are and what you have to say is crucial in branding. At the core, what is the brand about? What does the brand believe in? Customers need to understand what the brand represents before they decide if they trust in it. This is why communication is pivotal in branding. Beyond that, these internal values need to be congruent with external values experienced by customers. Only by knowing who we are as a brand can we speak confidently to customers about what we believe and what we have to offer.
People no longer trust brands alone
People place more trust in real people than in brands and increasingly, this is what they expect from brands, to be real instead of putting out lofty, empty promises. In today’s world where we are bombarded by images, voices and videos everywhere we turn, people have become desensitized to advertisements. People have lost faith and trust in brands and their promises but they do trust people, ordinary people like them. Authenticity will always win, this is why testimonials work, if you believe in your product enough, let others speak for it. Influencer marketing, authentic marketing has caught on in the marketing world because it is generated voluntarily by fellow customers.
This is how Gopro grew into the renowned brand that it is today. The market for action cameras is extremely saturated and yet, Gopro dominates the market. While competitors were talking about waterproof and metapixel lenses, Gopro content just captured the lifestyles of the passionate, the inspirational, the moments of wonder. They featured real people and they got them to engage. They had over 5000 videos posted online each day with the hashtag #Gopro. People were convinced.
Whether it’s the B2B or the B2C world, marketing is ultimately H2H – human to human. So, to build trust between consumer and brand, humanize your brand, speak authentically, use real people with real emotions and thoughts, only then can a real connection be made.
Keep it simple
Technology is supposed to signify convenience, ease, satisfaction, not frustration. Yet how many times have we found ourselves at the mercy of websites that just don’t make sense, devices that just aren’t intuitive? Too often than not, instead of simplifying things, technology complicates things. It is important not to fall into that trap, in the end, we need to center interfaces around the customer. Marketers need to create experiences we would actually like to enjoy as customers. User interfaces need to have a clear vision – start with what experience do customers need and then look at how technology can enhance it. Technology should be customer-centric, needs should inform what kind of technology is used rather than technology informing customer platforms. With that, simplicity and consistency is key, user interfaces should prioritise human needs, businesses should plan tech around humans. Being simple and consistent would also mean being omnichannel by design, offering a seamless service and communication across touch points.
The general within the specific target audience
Regardless if you are a small business or a big one, technological data should be used to get to know your target audience. Whether it’s the number of visits on your website, the number of followers and likes you get, or your rates of investments in social media and advertising, it is important to use these to know what your clients react to. It is time for us to move past from the simplified notion of the prototypical user, ‘Alan the middle-aged man’ to knowing more about him with the data available. This allows us to move away from just one generic Alan to a room full of very specific people to target. This helps inform the creative, to target and produce even more personalized content with the information at hand.
Ironically, there’s so much more we need to do to connect with people in this supposedly “convenient” and “connected” technological age. Today, not only do brands have to use data to generate the right target audience, the right content also has to be catered to the right person as well. Technology and marketing should come in tandem, helping and not sabotaging one another. Ultimately, it comes down to connecting with the audience in a personal manner and to do that, communication of a brand’s core values need to be strong.
Having trouble making that connection with customers? Not getting heard? Adwright can help your brand speak to the right target audience and better communicate who you are, what you can do for customers and how to build rapport with customers. Don’t get lost in the overcrowded market, keep it simple, find the right target audience and cater to their needs.
If you would like to find out more on the services that Adwright provides, call us today on +65 6227 7227 or email enquiry@adwright.com
