Making a Connection With Your Audience

Human Engagement is Personal

We live in a digital age, there’s no denying that. As far as business is concerned, technology has opened up opportunities we wouldn’t have thought possible 50 years ago. It’s allowed us to connect people across the globe and complete tasks quicker than ever. But business has never been about the tools we use; it’s always been about how we engage person‐to‐person.

Let me explain.

Automation is a tool, not a voice

Digital marketing platforms are a necessity these days. Artificial intelligence and automation let us send a dozen emails at once, each one with a personalized greeting (although that takes a bit of coding!). AI helps us complete administrative tasks quicker. It lets us delegate without putting additional pressure on our teams. It’s a support system all on its own.

But customers don’t want to hear about how efficiently our operations run behind the scenes. They want to deal with people. Specifically, they want to deal with people who make them feel understood, and who are ready to help them with their problems. You can program an AI to send a value proposition, but it takes a human touch to show care and empathy.

Automation is a tool. It can do things at a speed that we can’t – but the point of automation is to free you up for the things that need personalization. AI should give you more time to form meaningful connections with your audience.

Before you speak to your audience, put yourself in their shoes

Speaking of audiences, you’d be surprised how easy it is to forget about the people you’re speaking to, even when you’re busy speaking to them. That’s because marketing can often feel like a performance. When that happens, we focus on the performance, and not the audience.

The easiest way to connect to people is to empathize with them first. You want to speak directly to them about the things they’re interested in. That’s why our podcast doesn’t have intro or outro music. We want to get straight into the conversation. Genuine connections beat production value every time.

Intimate connections aren’t about privacy, they’re about honesty

That said, building genuine connections can be scary. Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be. In business, intimate connections aren’t about detailing your private life. Intimacy in business is about being open and honest about the things you’re connecting over.Offer genuine perspectives, share your insights, and invite your audience to engage with you. Listen. Ask your questions and stimulate the conversation.

Communication is relationship‐building

When it comes to engaging like a human, everything comes back to relationships. The relationship between your business and customers determines everything from brand loyalty to how smoothly your customer support runs.

You don’t have to sit down with everyone in your audience either. Relationships in business are more about the customer experience. You want to ensure that every time your customers engage with your business, they receive value and know that they’re going to be catered to. Your email sequences and sales funnels should reflect your brand values, which are usually human values.

Lead with empathy, and you’ll connect with more people than you thought possible.

If you are ready to continue this conversation and learn how to engage like a human, join our community group here.