Marketing from the heart in the future of work

We are entering a different world. Jeremy Scrivens speaks of "the emergence of ‘second stream’ technologies that support the more human aspects of people in the world of work" - where 'work' transforms in to 'life-work', because work allows us to emotionally invest and be more human. We are empowered to care more than we ever have before, and this is supported by the emerging cultures and technologies that surround us.

I’d love to share with you here the fundamentals of ‘marketing from the heart’, and discuss the technologies that are coming to the fore to start this next phase of authentic marketing. 

Good market strategy has always been about putting the consumer first - what needs are we meeting? What do they want? What messages will they respond to? And through what channels?

But the best market strategy and execution has included an authenticity layer. By that, I mean elevating all marketing activity, from strategic inception to the minutiae of execution, and infusing it with genuine, authentic feeling - marketing from the heart.

We are entering a different world. Jeremy Scrivens speaks of "the emergence of ‘second stream’ technologies that support the more human aspects of people in the world of work" - where 'work' transforms in to 'life-work', because work allows us to emotionally invest and be more human. We are empowered to care more than we ever have before, and this is supported by the emerging cultures and technologies that surround us.

Many marketers already care deeply about their work and feel a strong sense of purpose and connection - I think it comes with the territory. This is the state of full engagement and flow and it is this portion of marketers who are already engaged that will enjoy the intense and fulfilling experience of ‘marketing from the heart’ in the future of work. Speaking personally, I have been living this vision for over a year now. people first marketing infuses the ethos, product and many of the complimentary ‘marketing from the heart’ technologies and techniques already available to facilitate personal, authentic and emotional connections at both ends of the conversation. It is a different way of working for us, and a different way of engaging for our audience. And it's pretty good.

I’d love to share with you here the fundamentals of ‘marketing from the heart’, and discuss the technologies that are coming to the fore to start this next phase of authentic marketing. 

The fundamental principles of marketing from the heart

• Connecting to purpose & developing authentic connections
• Social community & collaboration at Scale
• Fully immersive Marketing

Connecting to purpose and developing authentic connections

The importance of purpose is huge. A member of the #peoplefirst social room recently posted an incredibly personal and moving article on the importance of purpose in life, which many find is fulfilled by work...particularly if that work has become life-work - a passion and purpose to which we are emotionally connected. For some marketers, purpose has traditionally about leads, comms execution, digital stats...and of course they still matter as the under layer for marketing activities and it will be this way for some time.

But think of the next layer. The authenticity layer. The connections layer. Authentic engagement.

It's about relationships. The vigorous emergence of social tells us that. It's about connections. Genuine connections. Not mass connecting, following/unfollowing...authentic, personal connections.

This is not new thinking...people buy from people...but the future of work requires marketing to execute differently. It's not just about metrics, it's not just about connection volume...

The brief is authentic, personal connections - making friends and sharing your passion for what you do with the people that want to hear it and may benefit. Again, quality not quantity is not new thinking...but the future of work will demand its application in a different way.

Marketing in the future of work simply requires that people be people - and they will work on the projects that fit them and enable a direct and productive alignment between who they are and what they are doing.

This is life-work - this is passion - and this is engagement.

What about authentic interactions by video live-streaming? A report from social-media analytics company Social Bakers found that the average video post generates 135 percent greater organic reach than still-photo posts, and that viewers spend eight times longer on live video than on-demand...By 2019, video content will account for 80 percent of all global internet consumption (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300473).

What about LinkedIn? Actually talking to connections, going for coffee, having a Skype conversation. @AlexandraGalviz (Authentic Alex) is a #LinkedInLocal Co-Creator - born of a need to make social connections real again. True, authentic connections - which is surely what a network is all about.

What about social collaboration at scale? Another of @JeremyScrivens' passions, of which the #peoplefirst social room is an example - where the love of work replaces the fear of work.

There are so many opportunities to think differently about marketing in preparation for the future of work, and the most powerful step is to connect to purpose and be authentic. Again, this is not new thinking...it is simply challenging existing priorities and ways of working to move to a more collaborative and productive future of marketing strategy and practice.

Social Community and Collaboration at Scale

Talking about the importance of Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn at this stage would be a crushing disappointment. They are 'old world' - at least in the traditional sense of mass connections, native advertising, etc. Marketing in the future of work demands social collaboration at scale.

"Collaboration is not consultation, nor is it marketing. Collaboration is the experience and capability of bringing every member into the  Social Room as equal members of an  open community. Here, together, we imagine, co-create and live a future story which engages every person as a unique individual to be who they are - to  flow and contribute to a common cause at scale" - Jeremy Scrivens

In the future of work, the relationship between social channels and Marketing will be very different. Primarily because it's not about Marketing anymore...it's about something deeper and more authentic. As above - true connections - finding the people that want to collaborate with you and share their passion with you at scale. Symbiotic relationships will be the most powerful and the most fulfilling. We've had personal selling (where it was considered that the best way to market was a local handshake), we've had mass selling (where the internet gave us relatively instant access to the inbox of almost anyone with a computer), and now the future of work is demanding a combination of both, with a twist.

The future of work will demand the use of social platforms to enable collaboration at scale - to find those connections that contribute to our life-work, reinforce our sense of purpose and reward our authenticity.

Fully Immersive Marketing

There are no two ways about it. Genuine authenticity demands full immersion. You can not be 'half in'. It's all or nothing. In today's context, this can feel anywhere from 'impossible and terrifying' to 'unlikely and mildly uncomfortable'. When I started this journey, I was mid-way between the two. I kid you not, there have been tears and we are not finished yet - with people first as part of MHR, we are still on our journey (and it's pretty interesting - you'll be able to observe it with #NextChapter or I'm happy to discuss further if you're interested, just pop me a message).

As a Marketer in the future of work, we will need to be connected to our purpose. And it is likely that, with more project-focused ways of work and technology to support a more crowd-sourced approach to talent than we have currently, we will be! Imagine a working landscape where you choose the projects that fit your passion - you are automatically engaged, in the flow and productive.

As far as Marketing goes in the future of work, technologies will be able to translate the authentic, symbiotic relationships that people build in to virtual environments -take AR and VR, for example - it's estimated that AR and VR spending will reach $3 billion in 2017 (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300473) - but marketing activities should not be limited to brand building exercises or product tours.

Marketing in the future of work is about authentic connections and collaboration at scale - and technologies like AR and VR will compliment this. Video live-streaming is one thing...in the future of work, AR and VR will be used to facilitate social collaboration at scale as a core part of the marketing approach.

Exciting times! If you're interested in discussing any of the above, let's grab a coffee and Skype -I'd love to hear your thoughts.