Empathy as a Powerful Marketing Tool

When the conversation shifts to marketing, empathy isn’t usually the first topic of discussion.

Why not?

Probably because we’re not very good at empathy, on the whole.

Sad but true, most of us were not modeled a lot of empathy in our early lives, and so it’s not a natural response for us.

And yet, empathy is our most powerful marketing tool.

Empathy changes everything.

Above all, empathy changes how we feel.

It changes how everyone involved feels. Giver and receiver.

I can’t think of another marketing tactic that powerful.

Sure, urgency gets people moving and buying. But it’s short-lived and often followed up with remorse.

But empathy? It lingers.

It may not hit as hard as the usual marketing one-two punches. But it’s not as forgettable either.

When we’re struggling with something—as your potential customers are when they seek you out as a potential solution to their problem—feeling seen becomes a powerful motivator.

When we feel seen—really seen—it ignites our sense of self-worth.

And self-worth is a powerful motivator.

It doesn’t get much better than that in the human experience.

It creates space for us to be who we are. Which gives us space to become who we long to be.

What would it feel like to be able to move people in that direction on a regular basis?

If you’re trying to get your audience to know, like, and trust you, you’ve got to really understand where they are based on where they have been, and where they want to go.

You do that with empathy.

So your work starts here. How can you be more empathetic to your audience?

More on this to come.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash