The rise of social media has brought us all closer together. Whether it’s in your personal life or at work, the days of faceless corporate brands controlling the airwaves has gone for good.

You only have to look on your LinkedIn feed to see this change in action. What was a simple CV repository 5 years ago, is now a thriving social network that merges both business and personal.

This rapid shift has caught many consultancies off guard. Those that are used to talking as their firm and nothing else are finding that their marketing is becoming less effective.

To win in today’s world, you need to bring your team to the fore and give your marketing the human touch.

While this may sound like we’re verging into B2C territory, this is something that absolutely applies to your consultancy.

Why? Because your buyers are people, not numbers on Companies House.

By remembering that you are selling to people you can think more creatively about your content and the messaging you’re putting in to it. In turn, you’ll build a better sense of brand loyalty and trust by showing that you understand and empathise with your target clients’ needs.

So how do you bring the human element to your marketing? In this blog we share four quick and easy ways to improve your content to give your consultancy the human touch.

Emotions come first

Our brains are naturally wired to remember emotions over facts. Just look at Christmas adverts – they’re very rarely about the product or brand being advertised, they focus on making you feel something.

Now we’re not expecting you to spend several million pounds on a blockbuster TV advert, but there are some lessons you can learn from them. If your LinkedIn post or video makes your client laugh, feel optimistic or empowered, your brand is going to stay in their mind.

If you want your prospective clients to remember your consultancy, you need to make them feel something when they read, watch or listen to your content.

It’s not all about you

The pandemic has shown that shifting your consultancy’s focus to match the needs of your clients has been vital for success. The same is true for your marketing. It has to be relevant to your clients and address their specific challenges and needs.

In a recent Deloitte study, 82% of respondents said they would do more business with a brand that pivoted quickly to meet their needs – while more than a quarter of customers walked away from a brand they perceived as acting in their own self-interest.

This needs to be core to your marketing content. Showcasing how you’re reacting to, and supporting, your clients during this time. Not simply showing off your latest award.

It pays to be specific

Human connection comes when you feel that someone understands you, as a person. Your specific needs, challenges, quirks and idiosyncrasies.

While you can’t be creating individual LinkedIn posts for each of your 1,000 followers, you can make your content feel much more personal by niching down on your different audience groups or ‘avatars’.

Instead of talking to ‘firms’ or ‘businesses’, can you talk to ‘banks’ or ‘building societies’. Better still, can you talk to specific groups within those organisations that are struggling with certain challenges?

By tailoring your marketing to be specifically focused on these target client groups, you will be able to create content that will answer their direct challenges and show that your consultancy understands, and can solve, their problems. Building a human connection while demonstrating your expertise and experience.

Use your own people

As a recent UGC Report shows ‘93% of marketers agree that consumers trust content created by real people rather than content created by brands.’

While it may seem daunting, putting your team at the heart of your content will add more authenticity to your marketing and show the human side of your firm.

So many consultancies pride themselves on their people and their culture, then hide this away when it comes to their marketing. To be successful, you want to do the opposite.

For example, you could ask one of your team to record a video providing useful advice on a common client problem, or start a podcast series where your team interviews leaders from your industry.

These seemingly small initiatives, will have a huge impact on the overall perception of your brand and the connection your prospective clients feel towards your consultancy.

Time to get personal

Client-centricity in marketing isn’t a new concept, it’s always been important, but it’s often overlooked when it comes to B2B. By keeping your clients front and centre, and creating marketing content that speaks to them, on a human level, you’ll build new levels of trust and engagement.

So if you’re thinking about getting creative with your content to appeal more personally to your clients and help you stand out from the crowd, now is a great time to give it a try. We’d be more than happy to help you get started so feel free to get in touch for a chat.