With more and more people trying to move their business online, it’s getting more difficult to grab people’s attention and let them know why they should choose to work with you.
So I sat down and spoke with launch strategist and entrepreneur Samantha Justine on why business owners and entrepreneurs should focus more on empathy if they want their business to thrive.
Why do you think business owners should focus on empathy in their business?
For years I’ve tried different approaches on how to get more clients in business for myself, and my clients. I’ve followed a lot of internet gurus and did what they’ve told me to do. Create an ebook to get leads, give it away for free, write great copy, add scarcity to your sales page and all that.
But what I found is that all these strategies aren’t as effective if you don’t focus on the one main ingredient of your business — people. These people aren’t just numbers and statistics. These people have dreams, they have goals and aspirations.
Why does empathy work better than traditional marketing strategies?
Because when you connect with people on a deeper level, when they can see and feel that you understand them with what they’re going through and what they want to accomplish, they’ll be more keen to listen to you and find out how you can help them achieve their goals.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t also work on your marketing strategy, but it will be a whole lot easier to market and reach out to people if you connect to the people that you want to work with.
Can you share an example of how you can practice empathy in business?
Let’s say you want to sell your online course. You already know that you have what they need right? You know you can walk them through the exact steps and guide them on what they should do to accomplish their goals. The challenge now is to make them want what you have for them.
Now, this is the perfect opportunity for you to practice empathy, and the best and the fastest way to do that is to have a conversation with them. Ask them what it would mean to them if they can finally achieve their goals. Ask them what is it that makes them feel stuck in their current situation, what’s holding them back, what help do they think they need so they can move forward. Of course, be more specific with your questions.
The most important part of it all is to listen. Take the time to actually listen and hear what they have to say. Try to see their problems and struggles, their dreams and goals from their perspective. This is where most business owners fail. They focus too much on what they can do instead of what their people actually need and want from them. A simple act of trying to walk in your customers’ shoes can make a whole lot of difference.
Is there any other advice you can share with other entrepreneurs?
The business world is shifting, especially now that we’re more connected through the internet. People aren’t just looking for big corporations to work with, they want to work with a business that has a heart and soul, a business that understands them.
About Samantha Justine
Samantha Justine is an international sales funnel and course launch strategist who has been featured in Next Step Hub, Business2Community, Future Sharks and Funnel Magazine. She helps entrepreneurs and business owners create a bigger impact for their community by turning their expertise into profitable online courses.
Samantha started working in the online industry as a freelancer in 2008. Since then, she’s built her own community that has helped over 7,500 people jumpstart their careers as freelancers with specialized skills through her online courses. Today, she’s helping more communities of entrepreneurs who want to influence more people in a positive way through sharing their message with online courses, while she travels the world.