The movement toward humanizing brands and digital environments has been gaining increasing momentum. Today, users are not just looking for good products or quality services, they want closeness, authenticity, and memorable digital experiences.
Brands that fail to adapt to this shift risk losing ground to competitors who know how to communicate in a more human and engaging way. It’s no longer enough to simply sell, you need to create an emotional bond.
How to build a genuine connection with your audience
Connections between brands and customers are born through experiences, which can happen at different stages of the sales funnel. This bond is built when people identify with a brand’s values, recognizing something that goes beyond an immediate solution. More than logic or price comparisons, purchasing decisions are strongly emotional.
Think about your own buying choices over the past few months:
Were they based solely on a rational analysis of products or services?
Or did you also take into account the brand’s positioning, its social and environmental values, recommendations from friends, or even an advertising campaign that sparked desire when you didn’t actually need the product?
All of this is part of an intentional strategy, carefully placed at every touchpoint to build trust, spark emotion, and encourage recommendations.
What kind of digital experiences can your business offer?
At HUB Ativo, for example, we design websites, apps, and e-commerce stores. But what we deliver goes far beyond an attractive interface:
An active digital presence, available 24/7 whenever customers need it.
Professional credibility and image that inspire trust.
Stronger online authority that reinforces brand positioning.
Strategic design and clear messaging aligned with the target audience.
Well-placed CTAs focused on conversion, turning visitors into customers.
In short, we help businesses harness the internet, always available and widely accessed, to engage, connect, and sell.
But none of this would be possible without truly knowing the customer. Each project begins with close contact: personalized conversations, active listening, and an understanding of the goals, aspirations, and concerns driving their digital journey.
Where to start?
According to KPMG Portugal (2019, p.86): “The quality of ideas generated by a company is, therefore, a function of its proximity to the customer.” In other words, understanding consumer behavior is the most powerful tool for building strategies and, ultimately, driving sales success.
To put this into practice:
Give your customers opportunities to reach out and connect.
Show openness to truly understanding their real needs.
Communicate clearly and transparently about what you offer and your brand’s purpose.
Stand firm in your market positioning, promote social and environmental values, and highlight what makes you unique.
Align your team so everyone is focused on delivering excellent customer experiences.
Run brainstorming sessions with your team, valuable insights about customer needs and business opportunities often emerge from these.
In the digital world, visibility builds authority. And authority generates trust. The clearer and more confident your brand positioning is, the closer you will be to your audience — and the greater the impact on your results.
Reference:
KPMG Portugal. O imperativo da experiência de cliente conectado – Primeira edição Portugal 2018. Lisbon: KPMG Advisory – Consultores de Gestão, SA, 2019. Available at: https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pt/pdf/experiencia-cliente-conectada.pdf. Accessed: Sept 4, 2025.