By Minaz Tejani
By Minaz Tejani, Client Services Director, twogether
Hard, factual, unfeeling. If you’ve ever played the word association game with ‘data’, you probably got some unflattering results. What you probably didn’t get was ‘empathy’.
Picture the scene: you're at an expensive restaurant with fabulous food. You’ve met the person you're dining with before and it was an instant connection – all witty repartee and easy conversation.
When they arrive this time around, you rehash a quip about your favorite dish. Then have to explain it. You mention the sport you like. They ask how long you’ve played. Again. They don't remember a thing about you.
It’s true that, on its own, information cannot create an empathic connection with someone. But it’s also true that you can’t empathize without knowing (and learning) a lot about them. So, which data really makes the difference?
Firstly, data can mean virtually anything. In B2B marketing, it often means factual information about job titles or challenges. This data does many things: it allows you to find your targets, it tells you what they want solved, and it helps you position your products.
But when it comes to ABM, there’s another crucial level of data. It’s constantly evolving, and it’s the core of any genuine relationship. This is the information about what you share – whether that’s values, interests, or experiences.
We’ve all seen those ABM campaigns. The ones that focus on generic challenges. They ‘personalize’ assets with your company name and show how a solution can solve your problems. In short: well-informed, sympathetic marketing.
Yet, change the name and it could work for any of your competitors. There’s no sense of your internal culture or your goals. It’s marketing that sells you a product, not a relationship.
While this marketing may give you some leads, it won’t build the trust that makes ABM so impactful. For that, you need to show that you share a company’s values, and that you aim for similar goals. Plus, you need to keep learning as you move through the relationship. In other words, you need to truly empathize.
The first step to showing shared values is simple: actually share values. Empathy in ABM – as in life – starts with knowing your own strengths and core aims. After all, headline messaging alone won’t spell ABM success.
You have to back up everything with genuine evidence, and live shared values through every sales call.
Once you’ve got a clear idea of what drives your business, you can draw up a list of target companies. But the first question is: which firms are likely to share your values, experiences, or goals? If an account is potentially profitable but you have nothing in common, simply walk away. Your other marketing can reach it, but it’s not for your ABM.
For every account or stakeholder you target, you need data that creates a genuinely unique picture. With the right social listening techniques and research, you can dig up insights into everything from corporate culture to internal thought leadership.
It’s these insights that can get you past the basic facts and give you the emotional truths you need for a great ABM campaign. It’s not about collecting information for the sake of information. Instead, it’s about finding every detail you can, throwing light – not just on challenges – but also on concerns, motivations, and aspirations.
As you discover more, think about how these emotional facts relate to your own business and the work you do. Where you overlap the most, you’ll find the best territory for your campaign. If you don’t have much in common, then it’s time to focus elsewhere.
Parrot-fashion repetition isn’t empathy. I might say that I want a partner I can trust, but that doesn’t mean I want them to say ‘you can trust me’. And I might want a partner that values inclusivity, but they won’t convince me by claiming ‘we’re inclusive’.
So fuel your creative teams with the core emotional insights you’ve discovered.
Then take a step back and think more broadly about the message you want to give your audience. Shared values are better shown than told, so the subtext of your creative needs to do the work. If you judge work by that standard, you have a better chance of amusing and engaging your audience.
Good relationships are all about paying attention. Things don’t have to be perfect from the start, but you do have to respond to signals.
Before you set out on an ABM campaign, you need a plan for how you can collect information and improve your knowledge through every interaction. This is arguably the most valuable data set you have: the one that’s completely unique to your particular partnership.
If you put this front and center in your strategy, you’ll achieve a truly empathetic approach. ◆
Twogether is a multi-award winning marketing agency focused on B2B technology
