Marketers have a basic humanity problem. They see people as targets. They talk about people as targets. This mindset must end.
The sad part is that most marketers I know are fantastically good people. Warm, humane, and thoughtful. I’m honored to work with them. But all of those qualities get lost in the mix of tactics (another military term) and campaigns (yet another).
It’s possible for us all to do better when we market with humanity. Humane marketing treats people as people. It’s “you” over “it.” It’s acting in the belief that you have something to offer rather than something to take (time, attention, money).
Because, really, how do you feel when seeing all the marketing assets targeting you one after another, again and again? Valued? Helped? Or something else?
Marketing humanely changes the dynamic. It means offering people valuable options and meaningful information. It means coming to them with genuine insight. And it means treating them as both rational and emotional decision-makers with—dare I say it?—lives of their own.
Humane marketing drives my own commitment to thought leadership. The same applies to how I approach humane communications—informing and inspiring people inside and outside your organization.
Instead of being the person who takes and fakes enough to make, be the person who cares enough to share.