Be Kind to Your Customers

Next Tuesday, the 13th of November is World Kindness Day. Observed in around 28 countries, it’s a day that’s dedicated to encouraging us all to be kinder to each other. It’s a noble endeavor, which you can read more about at the World Kindness Movement website.

It’s easy to think about kindness in terms of sacrifice. A kindness is something that you do for someone else, with no expectation of reward. Except, that’s never true. Research has shown that when we do something nice for others, we get a hit of dopamine which increases our own happiness.

The other side of the coin is that if you’re kind, people will take advantage of you. And while some people might, human beings are hard-wired for fairness. So, most won’t.

But I think that kindness is fundamental to business communication. Here’s why.

Let’s say I’m working for a client who has asked me to come up with a content marketing plan that will include a series of posts that hit the keywords they need to move up the rankings.

First, I need to understand precisely what it is that the client wants to talk about. That process can often be surprising for them because I see things from a different perspective. I might see a benefit they hadn’t previously considered, or think a benefit or service that they take for granted is worth shouting about. That’s why I work under the name Your Enthusiast, my clients make me genuinely excited to tell their stories.

Then, I think about what their clients might want to read. Because it’s a fundamental part of communication that a lot of people miss. You shouldn’t be saying what you want to say, you need to be saying what your customers need to hear.

And putting yourself in their shoes, answering their questions, considering what they might be worried about or not have thought through? That’s kindness. Providing information for your clients is helpful. You’re solving a problem or meeting a need. You’re sharing your amazing ability to do that, with others.

So yes, you’ll be making some money out of it. And there might be people who come and read your content but never use your service. But how people react to what you do, doesn’t change the intention behind the original act.

Content marketing makes good business sense. It helps you gain exposure and convert visitors to customers. It works best when clients feel that they are building a relationship with you, that you care. It works best when it’s focused on answering your clients’ questions.

If you’d like to find out more about writing great blog content, then look through my archive for my blogging basics posts – or get in touch and we can talk about how I can help you relate to your clients better. No pressure, no commitment.

I’m kind like that.