4 ways to ensure you're an entrepreneur who connects with your customers Image credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin | Getty Images Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Business is ultimately about people. This relatability can make or break an entrepreneur’s -- or a company’s -- chances of becoming or staying successful. In general, I believe in starting to network with friends in your existing networks and getting personal introductions whenever possible -- and I’m not the only one. Post personal content on social media. The “personal” aspect can come from your everyday experience or be business-related, but either way, it should involve content that followers can relate to. I myself don’t love posting about my personal life to the entire world, but I find it easy to post about my businesses. Writing about personal wins makes anyone come across as more relatable. Engage with your follower base. Being a relatable entrepreneur and, in turn, building a relatable company can make or break a business.
4 ways to ensure you’re an entrepreneur who connects with your customers
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Business is ultimately about people. No matter what goods or service a company sells, sustainable success depends on individuals choosing to do business with it. Even if you’re selling a digital product, in the same category, say, as Instagram, that product was still created by people (designers, engineers and product teams) for people to love.
In order for a product to be loved, the people behind it need to relate to those they consider ideal clients.
This relatability can make or break an entrepreneur’s — or a company’s — chances of becoming or staying successful. In the wake of the scandas at Facebook and Uber, it’s been necessary for Mark Zuckerberg and Dara Khosrowshahi to personally apologize to consumers worldwide in hopes of restoring their companies’ public image.
Had audiences deemed those CEOs unrelatable or irresponsible, their apologies would have been ignored.
At my current company, VentureDevs, relatability is a key component of our identity. By showcasing our colleagues’ unique personalities and being transparent and honest about our mission, we help our customers see the human side of our company and relate to us as an organization that cares. From sales to networking, being relatable increases your chances of succeeding in all aspects of business.
Relatability comes with business gains.
While some companies lead with a marketing strategy that connects their products to their target audiences, it’s often wiser to first employ a strategy that connects the company’s message with its audience. If people don’t like how a company represents itself, they won’t engage with its product. A 2016 Label Insight study found that 73 percent of consumers surveyed would rather pay more to buy from companies that promise total transparency.
The tools to become a relatable entrepreneur and company are easily accessible. Market research can help you and your company understand your target audience inside and out. A deep understanding of your target audience is necessary to create a successful pitch deck, to build subsequent products and to support users — but it will also help you understand what you can do with your personal brand to connect with your audience.
Here, Virgin founder Richard Branson is a great example of a wildly successful entrepreneur who has built an extremely relatable enterprise around his personality. He emphasizes that people should have fun and create a great work environment…
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