Want to know the secret sauce that will drive your sales through the roof? Empathy in marketing
It’s emotion — specifically, empathy.
Empathy is defined as “the capacity to understand what another person is experiencing from within the other person’s frame of reference, i.e., the capacity to place oneself in another’s shoes.”
In short, empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotions and share them as though it was our own feelings. Empathy is considered to be a skill, which means that it can be practiced and developed over time.
Why is empathy important in marketing?
1. Empathy-based writing is 3x more effective
Research shows that emotional and empathetic writing is often 3x more effective than other forms of writing in terms of influencing a consumer’s buying decision. Why so? Because of the mirror neurons in our brain. Mirror neurons are associated with our tendency to react even when something didn’t happen to us directly.
Have you ever gasped during a horror movie? Or cried when you watched a heart-wrenching scene in a rom-com? This is empathy. Even though we’re not experiencing it — we empathize with the actor’s emotions.
2. Empathy as an emotional primer
All human beings have the capacity to experience a vast array of emotions. Great marketers (and copywriters) are aware of how powerful human emotions are when it comes to marketing and decision-making.
In marketing, empathy acts as an emotional primer that helps consumers connect with the brand and influences them to purchase a product or service. By using an empathetic marketing approach, businesses can boost conversions, increase sales, and build interest around their brand.
3. People crave connection and authenticity
In this day and age, people are smarter than ever and they do not want to be “sold” to. Instead, consumers are looking for brands that can help solve their problems, achieve their goals, and share similar values with them.
They want to be able to connect with a brand before they choose to do business with them. This is why marketers need to have a deep understanding of their consumers and act from a place of empathy.
4. Empathy is especially important in times of in a time of crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we think, feel, and perceive different things — including marketing messages. In times of crisis, people can be more sensitive to certain messages and respond negatively if brands produce content that is considered tone-deaf to the current circumstances.
Being empathetic in times of crisis is especially important because it can help marketers take into consideration the day-to-day problems the consumers are going through and how they feel. Which in turn will minimize the possibility of failure for your marketing efforts.
5. Empathy creates trust
Your audience will only engage with people and brands who genuinely care about them, who can help solve their problems and help them succeed. Infusing empathy in your marketing enables you to deliver a true customer-centric approach and creates trust in your brand — which will make your customers do business and eventually become loyal supporters of your brand.
What is empathetic marketing?
Business psychologist and author, Mark Ingwer said, “A business that invests in empathy devotes itself to understanding the emotional needs and motivations of its customers, and aligns itself to meet them”
Empathetic marketing is all about understanding the problems and desires your consumers have by putting yourself in their shoes. After gaining a deep understanding of your customers, brands will be able to create customer-centric products, marketing messages, and contents that will give consumers the tools and information they need to solve their problems or achieve their goals.
By adopting an empathetic approach in marketing, you can create authentic marketing messages that will resonate with your target customers. Allowing you to easily build trust and turn your customers into advocates of your brand.
Interested in learning more about empathetic marketing? Enroll in our empathetic marketing course by clicking here!
