07 Mar Does your website content reflect social and emotional intelligence?
Do you enjoy socialising with people who love talking only about themselves?
They jump at the opportunity to share their life story and achievements – and get so carried away (with themselves), that they neglect to direct a single question your way.
And then they expect you to like them.
Unfortunately they lack the social and emotional intelligence needed to build mutually rewarding personal relationships.
How do you respond when someone doesn’t care about getting to know you?
If you’re like me, chances are you’ll soon stop caring back. You become increasingly bored with their verbal dribble – until you simply switch off whenever they start talking.
Or even worse, you stop believing anything they say.
You might continue to encounter them, but will you want to interact with them?
How you communicate on your website is no different
For many people who come to your website, it will be their first interaction with your business. So try to approach what you say on your website the same way you would when you first meet someone face-to-face.
In other words, remember your social and emotional intelligence.
Do you really think your online audience wants to be bombarded with self-obsessed statements all about you?
I’ve said it before: it’s not about you, it’s about them!
By all means, let your customers know about your recent industry award or your latest winning project. But be smart about where – and how soon – you say it.
If you want your audience to pay attention, ensure they can see themselves in your website content. Immediately.
Let your audience know they are number one. Make it clear that you understand and care about their values and passions; their fears and insecurities.
By doing so, you’ll connect with your reader on a new level – and set the foundation for a mutually rewarding and successful customer relationship.
Now read these two paragraphs. Which do you prefer?
I was once given the task of rewriting the website for a world-renowned property developer. Here’s one of the many paragraphs in its original format:
“Our vision is to craft quality apartments and homes in bright-life places, places where there’s a vibrancy of people and a hum of energy. We create to inspire, free and enrich lifestyles. Our creations are brought to life by brilliant architects who embody our ideas in their cutting-edge design, exciting architecture and quality finishes.”
Now compare it to this:
Do you want more time to enjoy life? We offer apartment living with all the luxury and convenience you could wish for.
– Action and entertainment on your doorstep
– No time wasted on long commutes or domestic upkeep
– A quality, modern new home you’ll adore!
Have a look at your website now and ask yourself:
Do the words ‘we’ and ‘our’ appear more than the words ‘you’ and ‘your’? If so, perhaps it’s time to stop talking about yourself so much.
Perhaps it’s also time to refresh your marketing and web content.
This post is the third instalment in a four-part series titled:
Three facts about your online audience you didn’t want to know.
Fact 2: They don’t care about you.
