One of the hallmarks for success in entrepreneurship is your ability to harness the raw emotion of the entire general public. With that type of appeal, concepts such as growth, innovation, and creativity are nothing but intangible commodities that can only go as far as the interiors of your mind. While many people may not immediately jump to empathy as the guiding principle for a business, this heavy hitting concept, in its purest form, can be the sole definer in driving your company to new and exciting heights.
To start, empathy within business is defined as your ability to understand the general public past the surface level of numbers and dollar signs. By using your customers and their immediate concerns as the driving force behind your products, you will be able to hit a variety of different ideas and products that can help steer your company in the most optimal way possible. At the end of the day, the heart of the business is to not sell your product or services. Instead it is selling your brand and your trust to your clients. By establishing that trust, you will be able to continue that following that can help cultivate and foster a more meaningful and impactful relationship.
So how do you gain build the trust behind your brand? How can you sympathize with your customers and clients to provide the best product for their needs?
For this to happen successfully, you need to begin by focusing your attention on the wants and needs of your general clientele market. While many companies are looking to build up revenue-based sales, you need to look beyond the numbers and listen to the people. During Steve Jobs time with Apple Inc., Jobs did not look to rehash or repopulate the same concept over and over again like his competitors did at Dell and Microsoft. Instead, he looked to make his products better through sleeker designs, faster technological capabilities, and innovative prowess. While he could have settled for easy, Jobs wanted to do something that could redefine the way we saw computers, music, and overall entertainment.
In fact, the antiquated Henry Ford model of ‘building to make a buck’ has now been overtaken with various concepts and ideas that are used to both challenge and change the world. By listening to your clients, you will be able to build that trust and respect and begin employing that much needed attitude to get you to the top. At the end of the day, empathy is a strong emotion. It is a connection we have and a connection we continue to build on with those around us. Like your own personal life, you want to make sure your company embodies that message. By truly embracing empathy as one of your core principles, you will be able to emotionally and strategically grow your company with the perspective of success than the perspective of sales. Remember, one of the most important part of customer service is empathy. In order for them to invest in you, you need to be able to walk a mile in their shoes.
