Connect Before You Market: Building Relationships That Sell

Why I'm Done Chasing the Perfect Platform (And Why You Should Be Too)

Let me tell you about the time I completely missed the forest for the trees.

Picture this: My team and I were neck-deep in spreadsheets, convinced we'd cracked the code on the ultimate marketing campaign. We had it all mapped out — the right platforms, the perfect timing, those sweet, sweet algorithm insights. We were so busy high-fiving ourselves over our technical brilliance that we forgot one tiny detail.

The actual humans we were trying to reach.

Yeah, I know. Facepalm moment.

Here's what happened. While we were busy worshipping at the altar of reach metrics and engagement rates, our intended audience was somewhere else entirely — probably rolling their eyes at yet another tone-deaf marketing message clogging up their feeds.

The analytics? They told us one story. But when we finally (finally!) picked up the phone and had real conversations with real people, we got a completely different narrative. Turns out, understanding what keeps someone up at night, what makes them excited to get out of bed, what problems they're actually trying to solve — that's where the magic happens.

Revolutionary concept, right? Talk to people like they're... people.

Here's the thing that still makes me shake my head: We'd gotten so caught up in finding the shiniest tool in the shed that we forgot tools are just that — tools. They're meant to amplify human connection, not replace it.

So we pivoted. Hard. Instead of asking "Which platform will get us the most eyeballs?" we started asking "What does Jake in accounting actually need to hear from us? How can we make Tom's Tuesday a little easier?"

The results? Let's just say our spreadsheets got a lot more interesting when we started measuring things that actually mattered.

Look, I get it. There's something seductive about believing the perfect platform or the right software will solve all our problems. But after years of learning things the hard way (apparently my specialty), here's what I know for sure:

People don't buy from platforms. They buy from people who get them, who respect their time, and who genuinely want to help solve their problems.

So before you spend another minute obsessing over whether TikTok or LinkedIn is your golden ticket, try this instead: Have a conversation. Ask questions. Listen — really listen — to the answers.

Because at the end of the day, all the algorithms in the world can't compete with genuine human understanding.

Start with the person. Everything else is just details.

Trust me on this one.