Being ‘authentic’ is talked about a lot in modern marketing, but what does it really mean? And is it true authenticity that people respond to or the image of it – an ironic inauthentic authenticness!
Let’s explore the idea of authenticity and its place in email marketing today.
The Idea of Trust
At its core, authenticity is about trust, and trust is extremely important when you’re trying to sell a product or service to a customer. The idea is fairly simple – if the customer doesn’t know who you are, how good your products or services are, then buying from you feels like a risk; but if they know that you’re top-quality and reliable, and that your products and services are worthwhile and good value for money, then buying from you is low risk.
And everyone prefers low risk to high risk.
In short: If they trust you, it’s a lot easier to make the decision to buy from you.
You want your customers to trust you.
The Limit of Awareness
If your customer is aware of you, it helps build trust. This is why passive advertising works well – you recognise that name or that product and you think ‘aha, yes, I know who they are, I can buy from them’. Take breakfast cereals – there’s plenty of argument about whether own-brand cornflakes taste as good or are healthier than Kellogg’s, but with decades of advertising behind them, most people are immediately comfortable and confident choosing the packet with the big chicken on. Why? Because one is a known quantity and the other is a bit more of a risk. We’re aware of the top brand.
But familiarity alone can only get so far – your customers knowing who you are is one thing, and it’s a great step, but it’s not the final answer. It’s important to get past the limit of awareness, and move deeper into trust to clinch that sale. Enter authenticity.
The Human Connection
When you tell a personal story, or make a joke, you create a connection. You’re saying to your audience ‘We’re just like you’.
And that connection generates trust – after all, we’re all programmed to trust the things that are like us.
When you add a connection to awareness, you overcome many of the initial hurdles to selling. It’s not magic, and there’s still work to do – after all, you still need a good product or service, and they still need to be convinced they need you – but you’ve laid the groundwork well.
How is a good connection made? By being authentic. Or at least, that’s the idea…
The Authenticity Trap
Authenticity is powerful, but it can also be a trap for marketers. In that ongoing striving for connection, it’s easy to overdo it. You move past authenticity and into fakery. We’ve all seen it: those social media posts that look funny and clever at first, but start to become too frequent or too pushy; stories that have too many holes to be believable; or images that reveal themselves to be staged.
When you chase connection too far, desperate to show yourself as ‘authentic’, you end up crashing and looking like a fool. When that happens, your ‘authenticity’ isn’t building trust, it’s eroding it.
And at that point, you’re losing customers rather than gaining them.
Greater Brand Authenticity
Authenticity isn’t just about personal storytelling, even though it can sometimes feel that way. In marketing, authenticity means that the impression you create matches the reality behind the business, that you are consistent, and that the promises you make as a brand are kept.
Brand authenticity is knowing what you stand for and meeting that with every interaction.
Top 5 Authenticity Tips for Marketers
1: AI is not inherently authentic – don’t use it to fabricate experiences
In today’s world, AI can represent the biggest trap. I love AI as a tool; it’s great at checking spelling and fantastic at speeding up boring administrative tasks, and it can help you write your story in the right language, but if you try to pass AI-generated material off as truth… ouch!
There’s nothing wrong with getting AI to help you with your marketing, but experiences are yours – use those and don’t try to invent new ones. Trust me, they’re good enough just like that.
2 – It’s enough to tell a story or connect with a joke only occasionally
None of us are funny all the time and no one has an anecdote for every situation. When you insert a genuinely funny quip into a newsletter, it’ll land well; when you tell a story from your own week that works as a metaphor for a larger issue, it’ll help add value to your email; but when you have nothing to say, just don’t say anything.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t send out a newsletter that week, but don’t force it. Write something else that works. That way, when you do throw in a bit of personality a few weeks later, it will actually be authentic.
3 – Don’t be afraid to be authentic
You don’t have to share your most intimate details but if you’re looking to make that connection with your readers, don’t hide behind a shield of professionalism that just results in a cold, impersonal voice. Be yourself and open yourself up to a little bit of vulnerability, and your authenticity will build trust.
And yes, it’s hard to do the first few times!
4 – Be honest about your team
If you write all your own social media and email marketing, then great, but if you have a team of talented content creators beavering away in the background, don’t pretend it’s all one super funny genius.
Presenting yourself with a coherent brand voice and character is important, and when you acknowledge the skills of your team in developing that voice, your readers will trust your brand that little bit more.
5 – Own up to mistakes
We all make small mistakes, so acknowledging when you do and saying sorry is quickly understood and appreciated – and it’s one of the most authentic things you can do. Of course, don’t start making more mistakes just so you can get kudos for apologising, but when they happen, hold your hands in the air, say ‘oops’, and move on.
Do take care, though: occasional small mistakes are human but a whole slew of big screw-ups is just unprofessional, and after a while you’re back to eroding trust in your brand. Be appropriate with your sharing.
Authentic Email Marketing with Nathan Littleton
If you’re struggling to find an authentic voice that matches your brand, worried you’ll look foolish, or that you have nothing authentic to share, why not book a consultation with me? Together we can explore your personality and brand and build a campaign that includes the right amount of authenticity to boost your email marketing and make that connection with your audience.
I’m Nathan Littleton – give me a call today.
