It seems like a common sense equation - People first.
And yet it is not the current trend in marketing and business today. Why?
In business everyone is out to succeed. And why not, it is very natural to want to do well in what you do. But does the drive to do well cause us to miss the most important part - the people? And to what extent is this playing out in our businesses and online communities?
It is true to say that the marketing industry as it stands today is focused primarily on one thing - getting sales...or in marketing language, conversions. Ask any business owner, large or small, and they will tell you that without 'conversions', they would not exist. This is true.
However, the unfortunate thing that occurs when we get caught up in the number of sales we make is that the people factor often gets lost, and many of us have experienced this in our every day dealings with businesses. Be it face to face with a pushy sales person who will use every manipulation technique to land themselves a sale, or on a social media newsfeed lined with adverts specifically designed to hook you, we have all been touched by this approach to business and marketing.
These are just two examples of the many that could be listed.
In business, it's easy to get caught up in the 'success game' and lose sight of the bigger picture. This can stem from either a fear of not meeting the businesses financial needs, or from an incessant drive for more, ie from greed.
It can be difficult for an individual or business to shift the focus back to people, especially if the pressure is on or if the business has been running on fear or drive for some time, however making the shift is profoundly worth it. It not only brings greater rewards in improved relationships with colleagues, clients and customers, but it also makes the marketing process so much easier and stress free. Marketing simply becomes sharing. Sharing the business, its goals, it's philosophy, services and products. No push, no demand, no fear, no targets.
This is marketing at it truest...and when people feel truly met by a business and its services they can't help but want more of it. This is magnetic pull and the only way to stand true in business.