As I write this, I have several content marketing projects looking for strategy based on analytics, SEO, content structure, email automation, and other inbound Marketing tools. We’ve grown accustomed to sourcing these tools in order to reach a brand’s prime audience and they are all important to take a look at. However, while the numbers are accurate and results are proven, can we all just take a minute to think about what ties everything together?

It’s not about data mining, content modeling, or automation workflows. These things are all tools that help us along our Social Media and content marketing success path, but the underlying factor that’s going to make or break a campaign, is the key to why social media took off in the first place.

It’s you.

It’s me.

It’s the human side of us that wants to be connected to others, be heard, and remove the barriers that keep little people on the bottom, and big guys on top. It’s about taking back power for the people.

A Case Study of You

The reason I saw success in my career path is not due to an extensive academic background. I have none. It’s not because I had access to super secret tools that give me all the answers. I have used many.

My success has (and always will be) because I have been able to shuck off the bs that the big guys tell me I need to have, do or be – and I stay focused on people.

I suppose many industry pros have had a similar career path as mine. We start out as a small voice, identifying with people, and sharing information that our tribe appreciates, we grow an engaged audience. At that point, you may find that businesses are very interested in your influence, and the offers start coming in. You are excited to be able to make a difference for the people. Be their voice, help big brands hear what they are saying, and give the people what they are asking for. It’s Passion.

Slowly, that passion is picked apart, and you begin to feel like you’re a case study. Your passion is slowly sucked dry, put to paper, and analyzed to death.  Others can try to imitate your voice, they can call your work their own, but passion cannot be cloned. It will fail. Because it’s not authentic.

Remember that word? Authentic. Be that.

Content Marketing For Emotional Human Beings

As women in the industry, we’ve been taught to hide our emotions, our sensitivity, our sexuality, and our sense of humor in order to succeed. Lean in, they say. Lean in and be a cold hard number? Then we’ve become one of them. The passion is gone.

Do you put your pants on differently than me? Some would say no, it’s one foot, then the other. But, what if I sit on the bed and put both feet in at the same time? Do you wear the same color lipstick I do? Doubtful. Because I blend colors. I’m original. I don’t like being herded, because I’m not like others, and I like to express myself.

The thing we all have in common is that we are human. We all have passions and interests that make us different, but we are ultimately moved by the desire to enjoy life more. And guess what….that is based on emotions. We want to FEEL joy. Success FEELS good because it gives us the sense of freedom, well-being, or ___ (insert your emotion here)

If you’re looking to create a marketing campaign that is going to move people, you need to focus on the emotion that drives your target market.

At this point, the corporate execs, data analysts, and market researchers are probably itching to go find data to either justify or diminish what I just shared. Whether you find it or not – it’s fact. Fact that is based on our eternal nature. Those facts aren’t found in an Excel spreadsheet. It’s found in you. If you want to examine something, examine your inner being.

Did you just get spiritual on us, Coree? Maybe. Or, maybe I just got real.

Getting Back to Me, and You, and Us

My point here is that marketing doesn’t have to be a dirty word. It’s only made dirty by those that have lost touch with their own passion and want to live off another’s. It’s like the Walking Dead of social media. Everyone moves in a herd, searching for the next piece of fresh meat, and devouring it until they become one of them.

Don’t become a faceless, emotionless, marketing cannibal, void of seeing past your next meal.

Before you go dig into analytics, spend some time centering yourself. Don’t brush off the heart you’ve been wearing on your sleeve. Don’t be embarrassed by your emotions. Use those to identify with what moves us as people. Get to the core emotion for your market, feel what they feel, and try to help them.

Note, I did not say try to figure out what will sell them more product.  I said help them. Give them the products, services and benefits that will help them feel good and improve their quality of life. What will give them relief and a sense of well-being? Use empathy and compassion, as though you were trying to help your best friend through a painful time in their life. What would you offer?

And now it’s time for me to go create some marketing automation workflows, justified in data analytics, and tied to KPI’s. Fun? NOPE. But, now my work will be based on authenticity and emotional needs first, and THAT is where the passion is.

What are your motivating emotions that drive a purchase? How can you relate those same emotions to a larger audience? Would love to hear your thoughts and comments.

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