<strong>First, a story</strong>

Over the holidays, I flew in and out of Dulles Airport, which has an arrangement with the Washington Flyer taxi company.  I made a reservation for a Washington Flyer taxi to pick me up and drive me to the airport.  The driver arrived early to pick me up. He carried my suitcase down my front steps to the car. He asked me if I had everything I needed and then we were off. We had a nice chat, and before you knew it, we were at the airport, where he wished me a safe journey. It was a five-star experience.

On my way back, however, my experience rated two stars at best. Why? It was the same company, the same road, but a different driver. The driver on the return stretch did not speak to me. He would not engage in any small talk about the weather or the traffic. So we traveled in silence. And then, when we arrived at my house, he took out my suitcase out of the trunk and left it there, not offering to carry it up the stairs for me. I am not sure if he didn’t speak English very well, or perhaps was hard of hearing, but the lack of engagement made the taxi ride tedious. It was not a good ending to my vacation.

<strong>Your experience matters</strong>

Having a friendly interchange makes a difference in your experience. Think about when you go to a store and the clerk can’t be bothered to help you. You probably just buy what you came for or you just walk out of the store. Then think about the store where you go in and you are greeted with a friendly smile and a “what can I help you find today?” You feel welcome, which and may even lead to you spending more time in the store or even more money.

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<strong>What is it to be friendly?</strong>

<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Merriam-Webster</a> provides several definitions, among them:
<blockquote>showing kindly interest and goodwill

<strong> </strong><u>cheerful</u>, <u>comforting</u>

serving a beneficial or helpful purpose

easy to use or understand

designed or intended to accommodate particular needs, users, etc.

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<strong>What is friendly marketing?</strong>

Friendly marketing thinks about the audience/end users and makes them the first consideration. This means clear communications, free from jargon and meaningless phrases.

A friendly website makes it easy for you to find what you are looking for instead of making you click through endless menus.

Friendly materials give you the information you need.

Being friendly creates positive feelings in your audience.

It’s not friendly to overwhelm your audience with email marketing messages.

It’s not friendly to require personal information when making a transaction.

It’s not friendly to require sign ups and

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<strong>Bottom line: Make it your marketing resolution for 2022 to be more friendly</strong>

Friendly marketing will make for a better experience for your audience.

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