There are so many different skills that deserve attention in the business world, however, my favourite one, empathy, is one skill that since when I was a child was underrated, overlooked and undervalued, or at least, it was until now.
Why did I say “until now”? Because things are changing, nowadays people expect more from brands. If a company wants to thrive, it must truly understand its customers and show sincere interest and deep care.
Why do brands need empathy?
Empathy has the ability to transform a cold sale into a genuine connection. It helps you to gain trust and strengthen loyalty. Did you know that approximately 20% of new businesses fail within the first two years? According to Nielsen analysis, those companies who succeed concentrate on “walking in the customer’s shoes to uncover key demand-driven insights”. This means that even the smallest effort to make connections with your customers can help you uncover customer insights and opportunities you haven’t thought of yet.
How to be more empathetic:
- Shift your view from a product-centric approach to a customer-centric approach.
- Find the true meaning of data. Your audience is made up of real human beings, information is important in the way data should help you better understand what is happening in society.
- Listen before you speak. In order to connect with customers, you first need to understand how to speak the same language. Reaching that understanding starts with listening.
- Focus on building connections before you focus on conversion.
- Open a conversation with customers. People want to feel heard and participate more. They seek a more open relationship with brands.
