The First Date Principle: Why Bidirectional Communication is the Heart of Meaningful Sales and Marketing

Ah, the perennial quest for the Holy Grail of marketing—genuine human connection. You’d think with all the bells, buzzwords, and whistles we’ve got at our disposal these days—blockchain, AI, omnichannel (I could go on)—that achieving meaningful dialogue with customers would be a cakewalk.

But here’s the kicker: most interactions still end up feeling about as one-sided as a mirror. So, let’s drop the charade and embrace something a little more…reciprocal. If you’ve heard me speak on or off stage, you know I am all about the parallels between marketing/sales and attraction/dating — If you just talked about yourself non-stop during a first date, you probably wouldn’t get a second. OTOH, if you stick your tongue down someone’s throat before you even get the bill, probs same situation.

Just as one wouldn’t monopolize the conversation or be overly forward on a first date, the same balance is essential for sales and marketing strategies that aim for meaningful, lasting relationships with customers. Bidirectional communication isn’t just a nifty marketing phrase to throw around; it’s the backbone of what should be happening between you and your customers.

Further Reading: The Road To Sustained Marketing Success: Why Companies Need To Play The Long Game

It can be the linchpin for establishing a transparent and enduring relationship with customers. Below are some examples:

Chatbots and Live Chats: Real-time support or information collection. While chatbots can resolve basic queries, live chats allow for more complex discussions with potential customers.

Personalized Email Campaigns: Dynamic email content that changes based on user interaction. This can include embedded polls or tailored follow-ups based on the recipient’s past behavior.

Social Media Engagement: Beyond likes and shares, direct messaging and comment threads offer a forum for real conversations between brands and their audience.

Webinars and Virtual Events: Interactive Q&A sessions during live presentations enable a two-way dialogue between hosts and participants.

Customer Surveys and Feedback Forms: Post-sale or post-interaction surveys not only gather useful data but can also be a channel for customers to share individual thoughts or concerns.

Interactive Content: Tools like quizzes, assessments, and configurators that offer real-time results or product recommendations based on user input.

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Platforms: Providing a direct line for communication between marketing and sales teams to coordinate on specific, high-value accounts.

SMS Marketing: Text-based updates and prompts can serve as a quick and direct line to the customer, especially if the platform allows for two-way communication.

Virtual Sales Demos: Tailored walk-throughs of products or services that are guided by real-time customer input and questions.

Collaborative Proposals: Tools that allow both the sales team and the client to make real-time edits or clarifications to contract proposals.

Community Forums: Online communities where customers can discuss your products, ask questions, and get both peer and official support.

Feedback Loops with Customer Support: Sales teams have a direct line to customer service insights, sharing crucial information about common friction points or issues.

Whitelabeled Client Portals: Customized web portals where both clients and service providers can update project statuses, upload documents, and chat.

Knowledge Base with User Interaction: A comprehensive FAQ or solution center where users can upvote, downvote, or add additional tips and comments.

Voice of the Customer (VoC) Programs: Advanced analytics and customer insights dashboards that can interpret and act upon real-time customer feedback for strategic alignment.

And there you have it, my friends—a compendium of techniques for when you’re ready to graduate from monologues to actual conversations. Bidirectional communication is more than just a “nice to have”; it’s the linchpin that takes your customers from suspicious onlookers to raving fans. In a world overrun by automated ‘Thank You’ emails and cold calls scripted down to the last syllable, remember that nothing replaces genuine human interaction.

You’re aiming for a relationship that’s meaningful, fulfilling, and, dare I say, mutually beneficial. And just like a memorable first date, bidirectional communication doesn’t involve monopolizing the conversation or making overly aggressive moves. Whether in love or in business, relationships are built one meaningful exchange at a time.

The idea isn’t just to talk at customers but to converse with them. In today’s intricate marketplace, where complex software systems and consulting services come with substantial price tags, bidirectional communication can be the distinguishing factor that turns prospects into clients. Master the art of bidirectional communication, and who knows? Your customers might just swipe right.

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.