There’s an old saying: People do business with people they like.
Even in a world of automation, algorithms, and AI, that truth still holds. We expect human experience to matter.
Think about the last time you used an AI chatbot and the tone wasn’t quite right. Maybe it was too robotic, too salesy, or just… off. You probably walked away feeling misunderstood. That’s because empathy, trust, and connection are still at the heart of every great experience.
So how do you build genuine connection in business?
Here are three ways to start.
Empathy isn’t a buzzword. It’s the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
In marketing, that means shifting your goal from selling to understanding. You’re not trying to craft the perfect pitch; you’re trying to connect with real people who want to feel seen, heard, and valued.
When you approach marketing with empathy, you help your audience recognize themselves in your story. Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign did exactly that. It reflected the experiences and insecurities women already had, turning marketing into a mirror rather than a megaphone.
How to practice empathy marketing:
Rely on storytelling. Customers want to hear themselves in your content.
Use language that mirrors your audience’s tone.
Focus on lived experience, not just features and benefits.
Acknowledge the emotions behind decisions: uncertainty, pride, relief, hope.
Questions to ask:
What might my audience be feeling right now?
Does my message reflect that emotion or ignore it?
How can I make my audience feel understood before they ever buy from me?
Selling through connection isn’t about convincing; it’s about understanding.
Consultative sellers don’t pitch first. They listen, reflect, and label emotions, an approach championed by The Black Swan Group.
Repeating back what you’ve heard (“It sounds like you’re frustrated by…”) or labeling a feeling (“It seems like you’re under pressure to deliver results quickly”) signals that you’re paying attention. You’re not trying to “close” them. You’re helping them clarify what they need.
How to strengthen your consultative approach:
Pause before responding; give silence time to do its work.
Use reflective statements to confirm understanding.
Focus on solving, not selling.
Keep curiosity front and center; every “why” opens a new layer.
Questions to ask:
What outcome are you hoping for?
What’s getting in the way of achieving it?
What would success look like six months from now?
How does this challenge impact your day-to-day work?
Connection doesn’t end once the deal is signed. It’s built and reinforced through every interaction that follows.
Every email, meeting, invoice, and conversation shapes how people feel about working with you. A meaningful experience isn’t about perfection. It’s about how effortless and human the process feels from the customer’s point of view.
A great way to uncover what really happens is to do a customer journey audit. Walk through your process step by step and note what someone might be feeling at each moment. Frustrated? Confident? Confused? Delighted?
Those emotions are clues that show where friction exists and where connection thrives.
Meaningful experiences happen when we focus less on transactions and more on feelings. When customers feel respected and supported, trust grows — and trust is what brings them back.
How to build a better experience:
Walk through your process as if you were the customer.
Ask, “Where might this feel clunky, confusing, or cold?”
Give your team permission to personalize and connect.
Celebrate the small moments that make customers smile.
Questions to ask:
What emotions do customers feel during each interaction with us?
Where are we unintentionally creating barriers to connection?
What’s one small change that could make their experience feel effortless?
How do we make our customers feel valued, not just served?
Connection isn’t a soft skill. It’s a strategic advantage.
Empathy, curiosity, and thoughtful design are what transform interactions into relationships. Whether you’re building a marketing campaign, leading a discovery call, or designing a customer experience, the same principle applies: people remember how you made them feel.
AI, automation, and data can support the process, but they can’t replace the power of genuine human connection. When customers feel understood, supported, and valued, they stay.
So as you look at your next conversation, proposal, or campaign, ask yourself:
👉 How can I make this interaction more human?