Customers are not the enemy

Every business needs customers. And right now, companies are more driven than ever to create fresh demand and deliver solid leads. It's interesting then to pause for a second and consider how we talk about customers – because how we talk about them strongly influences how we talk to them.

The language of marketing is still too often about conflict. The implicit association is that customers do not want to buy. They are described as 'targets' and segments to be 'attacked'. To put it mildly, this is not helpful.

It leads to an adversarial relationship which is more about coercion than persuasion. It tends to dehumanise the very people we most want to have a conversation with – and yes, even in B2B sales, it is people who make the decisions (not some disembodied 'decision making unit').

Instead of deciding what messages you should blast at your targets, consider the following:

• How can you help them to achieve what's really important to them?
• How can you engage them and begin a dialogue?
• How can you be more human as a brand?
• How can you make it easy and pleasurable to buy from you?

It's these considerations that will lead to a stronger brand, deeper engagement and better long term success.

Peace and love. x

Photo by Gretchen Robinette on Flickr