" When it comes to marketing either in Social Media or Email Marketing, it's important to show your audience that you’re human. Show them there are real people and faces behind the corporate facade. Nothing is more important than having a personal connection with your customer whether you live in the B2B or B2C world. "
If you like the whole Vampire-Werewolf story lines that seem to run rampant on TV and in the movies these days, you may have caught a show called: Being Human. It's about a Vampire and a Werewolf that live together while trying to fight off their urges to kill and do harm to others. They don't always manage their goal, but at least they give it a try.
When it comes to marketing either in Social Media or Email Marketing, it's important to show your audience that you’re human. Show them there are real people and faces behind the corporate facade. Nothing is more important than having a personal connection with your customer whether you live in the B2B or B2C world. A recommendation, a Facebook Like, a Tweet, or an email from someone who the recipient has a connection with is much more valuable than one from a nameless, faceless company or brand.
If you send your email, tweets, and Facebook posts without interacting with your readers, friends or fellow tweeters, you are bound to be rejected. Sucking the blood from your lists (or your friends) will leave them empty and weak—eventually they will die. While some may stay, the majority of those will be hangers-on who most likely are just ignoring you and who don't bother to unfollow or unsubscribe. If you're a big brand, you might be able to get away with this; For mid-size businesses and small businesses, this can be devastating.
So what can you do to be more human?
For email, you should:
• Always send from a valid email address, preferably one that is monitored to reply to those who respond whether their message is positive or negative.
• Never use a No-REPLY email address.
• Always deliver what they signed up for and deliver value in your message.
• Always respect unsubscribes and make it easy for your subscribers to do so.
• Setup a preference center so subscribers can choose the content they want.
• Segment your list for better targeting of content and offers.
• Give your messages a voice and make it personal (this doesn't just mean using "Dear Jim", have a voice that people will connect to).
• Manage your mailing frequency to your list(s). If you're going to increase or decrease your frequency, let them know and give them an option to opt-down or up based on their preferences, not yours.
For Social Media, you should:
• Follow your followers; you never know when you're going to find an influencer in that crowd. (That said, make sure you’re following people, not bots or spammers.)
• Respond to tweets or Facebook posts that ask you questions.
• Respond to people who post constructive negative comments and see if reaching out to help will change their mind.
• Retweet your follower tweets when it’s relevant and on topic.
• Remember to thank those who retweet or repost your messages.
• Again, have a community voice that's engaging, funny, and respectful.
• Don't take everything so seriously. Have a thick skin.
• Treat people as you want to be treated (unless you’re a sociopath, then I suggest you get a new job.)
Being Human isn't hard; it’s what we do every day with our family and friends. Bring that attitude with you to your email marketing and social media channels. No one likes a blood sucker (Well, unless they’re really hot and on TV, then maybe you can get away with it). But even then, if there are no redeeming qualities, chances are their character will be killed off before the new TV season starts.
Cheers, your "Human" Friend, Chris