Finding a way to bond with your audience can be challenging, but once you find a solid path, you’ll be able to win over new audiences and help old customers feel more connected to you. Using the techniques of Pathos, you’ll be able to connect more strongly with your customers and build better business relationships.
Relate on a Human Level
This doesn’t mean you should pretend to relate. It means you should actually relate. Understand what’s important or what’s worrisome to your target audience, and make sure they know it! Even if it’s just a simple acknowledgement as small as “Mondays are stressful” or “Fridays are great,” your readers will appreciate your empathy. Don’t go overboard; it’s very easy to come off as insincere. The best way to relate to people in your language is to turn off your filters and approach them personally.
Take a Stance
Too many companies try too hard to stay neutral no matter what. They’re afraid of isolating or losing customers if they take a stance on a controversial issue, even within their own industry. One of the best ways to bond with people is to take the same stance as them, especially if they’re passionate about the issue. And even if you take the opposite stance as someone passionate about the issue, you can open a dialogue, or at the very least stick in their mind.
Get Talked About
One of the best ways to build reader loyalty and expand your reach is to be something worth talking about. And the best way to do that is by bonding with your audience. In your social media posts, make sure you are always mentioning things that are relevant for your readers. Taking a controversial stance (as detailed above) can be an element of this. Even if lots of people disagree with you, you’ll still get a lot of attention.
Bonding with your audience through Pathos is a great way to build loyalty. Start personal, take a chance with a strong position, and always find a way to be talked about.
