'Out with the old and in with the new' is something that Gen Zers and Millenials are all about. For this reason, many companies are taking on a new way to market to their consumers. Gone are the days when a brand tells a client, "You need to buy our product." Instead, it has become a thing of, "Here are reasons why buying our product is the best for you."

This means that brands no longer feel that they have the power to demand a purchase; rather, that they need to connect on a personal level with their consumers, stand for a cause and be better and bigger than just being a business.

Ready for this personalised experience? Then be sure to join media update’s Talisa Carlson on this exciting adventure.

Let's jump right in:

Marketers are starting to work with people — not companies

In the corporate world, it has always been about that marketing agency working with this company. Yet, a new movement is on the horizon where agencies or companies are rather saying that they are working with someone instead of with a brand.

This was noted by Darren McKee, director of growth at Wellthy on LinkedIn:

Marketers are getting more personal with the people they work with. Instead of naming an entity, a company will actually acknowledge the human that they are working with on the other side. With this in mind, it is clear to see how, for marketers, becoming more personal will give them an upper hand.

This is because people love being acknowledged and they love feeling that they are important. If this is an approach that marketers are taking, it is a definitive way to ensure that they build long-lasting and authentic relationships — not just with brands but with consumers too.

Empathy is becoming imperative

Have you ever come across the term 'empathetic marketing'? If not, no worries — here is a little breakdown. This type of marketing refers to when a marketer places their consumer at the centre of their efforts. They take a look at what the customer might be feeling and experiencing when exposed to the brand.

It is also no secret that the modern consumer wants to be better understood by the brands that they support. They are looking for brands that align with their values and beliefs and focus on creating personalised content just for them.
But does this mean the only reason why marketers are being empathic is to win over more consumers?

Well, maybe not. What if marketers and brands are all feeling (yes, I said feeling) that this is the best way to do things — not just for consumers but for them as industry professionals too? Maybe empathic marketing works because marketers are, in fact, genuinely empathic by nature. After all, they are people too!

Technology allows marketers to be more personal

Technology has truly allowed for new and improved ways for marketers to communicate with their target audience. There is also a more direct line of communication between consumers and a brand, allowing them to inform a marketer what their thoughts are on a marketing campaign or new product.

So, how does technology make marketers get more personal? Well, according to McKinsey & Company, "advances in technology, data and analytics will soon allow marketers to create much more personal and 'human' experiences across moments, channels and buying stages."

This means that marketers are becoming more personal not just because of the way in which technology lets them get to know their consumers better; it's also because it frees up their time to actually be more personal. For example, admin work that might have taken them a few hours can now be done by a machine, allowing them to build stronger relationships with their target audience.

In what other ways have you noticed marketers and marketing efforts becoming more personal? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Speaking of being more personal, be sure to read Marketers, you don't have to fake it to learn more about being authentic with your marketing efforts.
*Image courtesy of Pexels