I talk a lot about empathy. I talk about empathy in the culture we’ve created at our beauty and wellness creative marketing agency, Base Beauty, and how crucial it is to nurturing talent and collaborating as a team. I talk about empathy in terms of how we pitch and work with clients, addressing their pain points and focusing on what they truly need. And I talk about empathy as Base Beauty speaks to consumers on behalf of our clients, always putting ourselves in the shopper’s shoes.
A culture of empathy is not just a touchy-feely concept that sounds good on paper and makes people feel seen and heard, although it does both. Empathy is the path to business success. Marketing from a place of empathy drives growth. Empathetic team members understand one another for more effective collaboration. When we empathize with our clients’ needs, we can thoroughly and authentically deliver data-driven creative marketing so they can reach and grow their customer base. Everybody wins.
Here are some thoughts on how empathy for our clients and their customers is baked into life at Base Beauty:
Empathy for our clients: When pitching potential clients and working with current ones, we focus on their pain points. What wasn’t working with their previous creative marketing? What kind of pressure are they getting from their higher-ups? Is one division competing with another in a race for results? What does real success look like for them beyond the numbers? What internal challenges are they facing in their organization that will help us understand the context of their needs?” Once we have these answers, we craft strategies that precisely address them, always striving to make our clients’ jobs easier.
Empathy for the consumer: I say this all the time; however, wherever, whenever we are speaking to customers—in social media, emails, videos, articles, ads, and at retail—our job is to help them cut through the clutter and find the right product. I ask our team to picture a customer standing in front of a jam-packed shelf at Sephora or scrolling through products online to figure out what to buy. Our job is to make our client’s brand message clear and make the consumer’s decision to part with their dollars an easy one. Empathy for the customer is at the heart of all we do. We’re always standing in the consumer’s shoes.
Every day at Base Beauty, our COO, Aleni Mackarey PhD, MS, and I prioritize empathy for our clients and their customers. If we ever get bogged down in spreadsheets or creative details, I ask everyone to step back and empathize with the customer and her path to purchase. As the saying goes, walking a mile in another’s shoes lets you experience who they are and what they need. That understanding is the path to solutions and prosperity. And that’s all that really matters.
Message our CEO with your thoughts: How is empathy woven into your business? Please share!