Make Tools Work for You (Not the Other Way Around)
Marketing tools have their place, no doubt about it. There are some things that tools can’t replace, and that is the human connection. Tools can help narrow down who an ideal client is, what their habits are, and how to find them. But they cannot close a deal or care about a client’s success.
Investing time and energy into relationships is the key to B2B models. Tools were created to help with B2B lead generation and to help with nurturing those leads. These tools provide information that is helpful to sales teams in interpreting and applying predictions into your sales model.
Another popular tool is a software that responds and ‘interacts’ on social media pages. These bots are sophisticated and can engage in a level that can appear to sound very human. More engagement can usually push a post higher on a feed or bring more attention to it in other ways. Some people have started realizing which responses and profiles are from bots, but for many, it is not quite so obvious.
Marketing tools can make a job easier or provide more insight once they have analyzed the information. However, once the tools have done their job at gathering data and pointing out patterns, it is time for a human to human approach (H2H).
Humanize Your Brand
Automation has taken over a lot of customer service needs for companies. Visiting a webpage, calling a company, or even sending an email can lead to current or potential customers engaging with an automated robot. If competitors are utilizing these tools, this gives your brand a chance to set itself apart.
Humanizing your brand helps potential clients build trust. Trust is a result of feeling connection and loyalty. These are characteristics automated tools cannot provide.
Consider these two examples.
First example: A potential customer sees an article on social media and wants to connect with Company A and Company B. They go to the profile of Company A on LinkedIn and asks some questions. An engaging conversation starts while answering specific questions and discussing services of Company A, but also other industry ideas. The two connect and a business relationship with potential work in the future has started.
Company B gets the same questions on their company LinkedIn page. They have a bot that answers a few questions and then directs the potential customer to their FAQ page on their website. It is assumed that they will do the digging themselves on the website to learn more about products and invited to ask in the chat feature if there are more questions.
Which company built the better connection?
Second example: Two companies are given a B2B sales opportunity and need to put together a proposal. Company A sends a generic email with a brochure with quick bits of information of options to the prospect. Once the prospect has read the brochure, Company A has a representative reach out to answer questions.
Company B does things a different way. When presented with the same prospect, they have a representative reach out and discuss pain points, concerns, and company structure that commonly influences the problematic processes. The sales team from Company B puts together an individualized proposal and sets up a time to go through it together.
Which company has the more human approach that builds trust and fosters a business relationship?
In both examples, there were opportunities to make a business connection. The companies that made things more personalized were able to adapt their approach to make it more beneficial for both parties. There are other benefits of a H2H approach too, including:
- Chances to build a better relationship that lasts longer
- Insights to a client’s specific needs for customized offerings or upselling services
- Offer better service or emotional connection that instills loyalty
As humans, we all thrive on relationships. Most people buy based on logic, but they also follow a gut feeling. The gut feelings often are a result of interactions and relationships.
The interactions do not have to check a box. In many situations, traditional forms of communication are becoming new and different. These humanizing forms of communication can include personalized emails and letters, phone calls, and face to face conversations. Having these qualities put a company apart from those that only offer generic responses from automated services.
Using the Golden Rule
When it comes to navigating interactions with current and potential clients, there is a secret. The “golden rule” of “do unto others as you would have others do unto you” is a good principle. No one likes being sold to, spam called, or dealing with an automated customer service process. Everyone prefers to deal with a human who can help. Applying the golden rule to your operations makes all the difference.
