H2H Marketing Strategy

Five Simple Steps that can Bring Your H2H Marketing Strategy to Life

If you browse through a compendium of case studies in marketing, you would probably find yourself awestruck at the different classifications of marketing as a science. From B2B to B2G, content marketing to digital lead generation, it appears that the marketer of today needs to be a master of complex strategies that need to be employed on a case-by-case basis. However, we often forget that the recipient at the other end is a human being.

When we eventually cut through the layers of theoretical jargon, we find that people want to do business with other people. If we fail to establish a connection and build trust and credibility, we fail to succeed. No matter how grandiose the strategy, the proof of the pudding for any marketer is ultimately connecting with the audience. The new name that’s driving this approach is H2H (human to human) marketing. As a marketer, I have always focused on building a relationship with people. So, I’d like to highlight five simple techniques that can help you create a people-focused marketing strategy.

Know who you’re talking to

Ultimately, you’re going to come face-to-face with a human being at the other end of the spectrum. Researching who the decision-maker is can go a long way in helping you connect. Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., can help you explore the professional and personal profiles of these people. Take some time to find out what they care about and why. Read the content they’re creating or posting on various social channels. You may even find a person who you may both know who can put you in touch with each other. These simple steps can help bring you closer to your target.

Ensure that your communication is ‘human’

Far too many people create written communication using flowery and complex language. Often, they tend to resort to jargon and technical terminology in the hope that they may be perceived as knowledgeable. However, research shows that you are far likely to connect better with your audiences by using simple and easy words and phrases. As a marketer, you are likely to publish content all the time. Read through your blog or website. Imagine you are the reader at the other end. If your language is over-engineered and complex, chances are you will never connect with anybody.

Position your brand as having a human face

Real customers hate being perceived as a ‘consumer’. They don’t want to be seen as a statistic. Improving customer experience is all about connecting with them at a human level. Here, a storytelling approach can help you get results easily. In a recent advertising campaign in the UK called ‘Why Britain Loves Curry’, Pataks, a well-known Indian food brand used re-enacted visuals of how the founding family of the brand started out in the 1960s. The campaign had a huge ‘human storytelling’ appeal, leading to its success. Research indicates that 55% of your audience is likely to purchase your product in the future if they love your brand’s story. Another 15% are likely to buy your products immediately. So, storytelling is clearly an indispensable H2H marketing tool.

Influencer marketing is ultimately an H2H phenomenon

Today’s world of marketing focuses heavily on influencer marketing, which used to be, simply known as ‘word-of-mouth’ in the old days. People are more likely to build a relationship with your brand and products if they know that other people have had a good experience. Often, when you buy products from Amazon, you may be checking how many good reviews have been posted by other customers. Although you may not know these people personally, you feel secure that other human beings have tried and tested the product. In the same way, user-generated content (UGC) can play a vital role in your H2H strategy. From reviews on YouTube to tweets, UGC can take various forms. At the end of the day, human beings are far more likely to connect with your brand based on opinions from other users.

Transparency is a key factor

Humans love honesty and are more likely to see your brand in a better light if your messaging is transparent. If your product hasn’t done well in the past, your focus should be on telling your audiences why that happened, how you’ve listened to them and changed for the better. When Flipkart’s big sale in 2014 failed, the founders released an unmitigated apology, actually telling people why it happened. This was well received by customers and showed a human side to the company. As a result, people continued to bring their custom to Flipkart.

Reach out and share your stories

So, there you have it – my top 5 tips to create a human face for your marketing strategy. Of course, needless to say, this isn’t a one size fits all approach. Different situations may require different approaches. However, in my experience, stripping away the complexity of the marketing process and replacing it with a humanized approach has always yielded good results.

If you’re facing a peculiar problem connecting with your audiences, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we may be able to work out a strategy that can help you create a human touch, which may ultimately benefit your product. Similarly, if you have a story to share about how you were able to break through to your customers by using an H2H approach, I’d love to hear about it. We learn something new each day and I’m sure that my own learning curve can benefit greatly by listening to your experiences.

Finally, I’d like to leave you with the words of Seth Godin, marketer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author – “The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing.”

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