Why Your Marketing Isn't Working with John Elbing

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Businesses usually think about marketing from the inside out.

Here's what we do. Here's why we're good. Here are our features. Here are our credentials.

John Elbing thinks we should turn the entire thing around.

As founder of Standpoint and creator of the Storybuilding approach, John helps businesses see themselves through the customer's eyes. His starting point is deceptively simple: before customers care about your company, they need to recognize that your company understands them.

That conversation takes an especially interesting turn when John and Dr. LL explore what happens when AI becomes another interpreter standing between a business and its customer.

John shares the example of a company that surfaced correctly when queried through ChatGPT but was then described as expensive, despite having no pricing information on its website. After they changed the company's digital messaging, the characterization changed.

That is misinterpretation risk happening in the wild.

If people don't trust you, more promotion doesn't necessarily solve the problem.

If people don't understand you, more content may simply amplify the confusion.

And if AI doesn't interpret your signals correctly, your business may never reach the customer who was looking for exactly what you provide.

👤 Guest John Elbing Founder, Standpoint Creator of Storybuilding Marketing strategist focused on customer-centered communication