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Are You Treating People Like People?

March 3, 2009 9 Comments
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timjahnTim Jahn is a guy I’ve come to know over the last six months or so. In that time, his ideas and the voice on his blog have consistently caught my attention. He’s the master of short, sharp posts that get you asking yourself questions. I’m delighted to share his views with you today.

You and I have opinions.  We have favorite colors, favorite books, favorite actors.

We like to play volleyball but aren’t big fans of football. We love the History Channel but don’t really understand the point of Speedvision.

You and I like to talk. We tell each other about our favorite colors, the latest books we read, how Terminator 2 will always be the best Terminator movie.

You and I like to hang out with folks like us. We get excited when we’re around people that share our opinions and our passions. We light up when we’re with people who enjoy what we talk about.

You and I are people. We laugh, we smile, we cry, we scream, we punch, we question, we wish, we high five, we love, we hate, we believe.

Companies that treat us like people will have more success engaging us and generating positive opinion. Companies that treat us like machines will alienate us and generate negative opinion.

Companies that treat us like people will get us raving about them to our friends and family. Companies that treat us like machines will get us to
tell everyone we know how much we hate those companies.

Treat people like people and you’ll never go wrong. Treat people like machines and it’s game over.

  • Tim Jahn is a thinker/developer from Chicago exploring new media today and how it affects us as customers, as companies, as people. You can find out more about him by subscribing to his blog or connecting with Tim on Twitter.

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About Danny

Danny Brown is Chief Technologist at ArCompany and an award-winning marketer and blogger. His blog is recognized as the #1 marketing blog in the world by HubSpot. Danny is also co-author of Influence Marketing: How to Create, Manage and Measure Brand Influencers in Social Media Marketing.

24 comments
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Mike Lizun
Mike Lizun

It's interesting how some companies get it right away; be human when out there in the social networking social media space, others, well, they still want to push the message and and talk TO consumers. There is no doubt people are embracing the brands that embrace them, converse with them, reach out to them. Let's face it. If you don't have a good product, no level of engagement is going to change that, but if you have fans embrace them, and you will create more fans because of it.

Great post, Danny, and thanks for the tip on Tim's blog.

Tim Jahn
Tim Jahn

You're right about people embracing brands that embrace them. This has always been true and is even more important today because people can express their opinion easier and more widely.

That goes both ways of course - if you truly embrace your customers (and fans), they're going to let everyone know how cool you are.

Danny
Danny

It's the domino effect on a human level, Mike. Word-of-mouth works both ways; too many just see the positive angle, but get it wrong and it's not just your customers that will hear about it first. Potential customers, investors, influencers - it's not the type of list you want to be viewed negatively on.

Mike Lizun
Mike Lizun

It's interesting how some companies get it right away; be human when out there in the social networking social media space, others, well, they still want to push the message and and talk TO consumers. There is no doubt people are embracing the brands that embrace them, converse with them, reach out to them. Let's face it. If you don't have a good product, no level of engagement is going to change that, but if you have fans embrace them, and you will create more fans because of it.

Great post, Danny, and thanks for the tip on Tim's blog.

Tim Jahn
Tim Jahn

You're right about people embracing brands that embrace them. This has always been true and is even more important today because people can express their opinion easier and more widely.

That goes both ways of course - if you truly embrace your customers (and fans), they're going to let everyone know how cool you are.

Mike Lizun
Mike Lizun

It's interesting how some companies get it right away; be human when out there in the social networking social media space, others, well, they still want to push the message and and talk TO consumers. There is no doubt people are embracing the brands that embrace them, converse with them, reach out to them. Let's face it. If you don't have a good product, no level of engagement is going to change that, but if you have fans embrace them, and you will create more fans because of it. Great post, Danny, and thanks for the tip on Tim's blog.

Tim Jahn
Tim Jahn

You're right about people embracing brands that embrace them. This has always been true and is even more important today because people can express their opinion easier and more widely. That goes both ways of course - if you truly embrace your customers (and fans), they're going to let everyone know how cool you are.

Danny
Danny

It's the domino effect on a human level, Mike. Word-of-mouth works both ways; too many just see the positive angle, but get it wrong and it's not just your customers that will hear about it first. Potential customers, investors, influencers - it's not the type of list you want to be viewed negatively on.

Iggy Pintado
Iggy Pintado

Right on! In the book I've just written (due late March 2009) called Connection Generation, I discuss how it's no longer about people communicating anymore but about how we establish tangible CONNECTIONS.

People join Facebook groups, comment on blogs and use # tags on Twitter to find that common connection to information, ideas and experiences. Businesses need to do same with their customers, partners, suppliers and employees. If they don't identify that common connection with these business stakeholders - and their competitors do - they may be out of business in an increasingly connected world.

Danny
Danny

It's a scenario that more businesses (and people) are learning. The whole world is your local community now - you better make sure you treat it that way.

Iggy Pintado
Iggy Pintado

Right on! In the book I've just written (due late March 2009) called Connection Generation, I discuss how it's no longer about people communicating anymore but about how we establish tangible CONNECTIONS. People join Facebook groups, comment on blogs and use # tags on Twitter to find that common connection to information, ideas and experiences. Businesses need to do same with their customers, partners, suppliers and employees. If they don't identify that common connection with these business stakeholders - and their competitors do - they may be out of business in an increasingly connected world.

Danny
Danny

It's a scenario that more businesses (and people) are learning. The whole world is your local community now - you better make sure you treat it that way.

Frank Reed
Frank Reed

I have gotten caught up in activity and forgotten the treating people like people in an online environment and the end result was less than desirable. You reap what you sow.

Unless I can truly add value in disagreeing with a point of view I walk away. The Internet allows for the quick dehumanizing of people and nothing good ever comes from that.

Thanks for the simple reminder to move forward the right way.

Frank Reed
Frank Reed

I have gotten caught up in activity and forgotten the treating people like people in an online environment and the end result was less than desirable. You reap what you sow. Unless I can truly add value in disagreeing with a point of view I walk away. The Internet allows for the quick dehumanizing of people and nothing good ever comes from that. Thanks for the simple reminder to move forward the right way.

Frank Reed
Frank Reed

I have gotten caught up in activity and forgotten the treating people like people in an online environment and the end result was less than desirable. You reap what you sow.

Unless I can truly add value in disagreeing with a point of view I walk away. The Internet allows for the quick dehumanizing of people and nothing good ever comes from that.

Thanks for the simple reminder to move forward the right way.
via uberVU

Adam Singer
Adam Singer

Tim is one of my favorite bloggers - period. He rocks.

Danny
Danny

Heartily agree, Adam - I don't think I've read one filler post yet from Tim.

Adam Singer
Adam Singer

Tim is one of my favorite bloggers - period. He rocks.

Adam Singer
Adam Singer

Tim is one of my favorite bloggers - period. He rocks.

Danny
Danny

Heartily agree, Adam - I don't think I've read one filler post yet from Tim.

Danny Brown
Danny Brown

How businesses treat their customers can determine how that brand is perceived. Tim Jahn guest posts and looks at how we view these companies.
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Danny Brown
Danny Brown

How businesses treat their customers can determine how that brand is perceived. Tim Jahn guest posts and looks at how we view these companies.
via uberVU

Danny Brown
Danny Brown

How businesses treat their customers can determine how that brand is perceived. Tim Jahn guest posts and looks at how we view these companies.
via uberVU

Adam Singer
Adam Singer

Tim is one of my favorite bloggers - period. He rocks.
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