Marketing Sells. Engagement Serves.
Most brands think engagement and marketing are the same thing. They’re not. Marketing is about visibility. Engagement is about connection. One aims to attract attention; the other aims to build trust.
Yet many companies still confuse the two—and it shows. According to a 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 59% of consumers believe that businesses “actually listen” to their communities. That means almost half of the people you’re trying to reach don’t think you care what they say.
You can’t buy your way out of that with ads. You have to earn it through listening.
Why Listening Feels Hard for Brands
The control problem
Most corporations are built for control. They have approval chains, brand guides, and legal filters. Listening, on the other hand, means giving up some control. It means sitting in a room and hearing things you may not want to hear.
That’s uncomfortable for big companies. But it’s necessary.
“We learned early on that people don’t want to be talked at—they want to be heard,” said Ernesto Morales North Star Alliances, recalling a project where his firm paused a campaign to run listening sessions instead. “The feedback completely changed our direction—and made the outcome stronger.”
Listening isn’t passive. It’s active research. It’s how you make people feel part of the story instead of a target for it.
Mistake #1: Confusing Attention With Understanding
Views don’t equal trust
If your campaign gets 10,000 clicks, that’s great—but it doesn’t mean you’ve connected. Numbers can’t measure how much people trust you. They measure curiosity, not confidence.
Real engagement means you’ve created a two-way exchange. You’re not just broadcasting a message—you’re starting a conversation.
Ask yourself: Are people talking back? Are they asking questions, offering ideas, or showing up in person? If not, you’re marketing, not engaging.
Mistake #2: Showing Up Only When You Need Something
You can’t build trust on a deadline
Too many organizations show up when they want to launch a product, build a facility, or get public approval for a plan. The community notices.
Real engagement means being present even when you’re not promoting anything. Host local events. Attend community meetings. Support small causes without expecting credit.
A 2022 Pew Research study found that 73% of people are more likely to support a company that’s consistently involved in their community—not just during big launches or PR pushes.
Listening isn’t a phase in your campaign—it’s the foundation.
Mistake #3: Thinking Outreach Is One-Size-Fits-All
Every community speaks its own language
Corporations love consistency. Same brand voice, same tone, same visuals. But that approach can backfire in outreach. Communities aren’t audiences—they’re diverse groups with distinct needs and histories.
When Morales worked with a Los Angeles neighborhood project, he noticed the same flyers were being sent to every zip code. “They all looked the same,” he said. “But the people didn’t.” His team redesigned materials with local partners, changed the language, and used neighborhood photos instead of stock images. Attendance tripled.
People engage when they recognize themselves in the message.
Mistake #4: Treating Feedback Like a Formality
Collecting isn’t the same as responding
Ever fill out a survey that went nowhere? That’s how most people feel about corporate feedback. Companies ask for input, but nothing changes. It feels fake.
If people take the time to speak up, you have to show what you did with their input. Share the results. Post an update. Say, “You asked for safer crossings, and we added two new traffic lights.”
That one sentence builds more goodwill than a year’s worth of press releases.
Mistake #5: Over-Promising and Under-Delivering
Honesty is cheaper than damage control
Sometimes companies make promises they can’t keep. They announce huge community benefits, then cut corners later. Nothing destroys trust faster.
It’s better to be honest from the start. If something’s still in progress, say that. If a delay happens, explain it.
A 2021 Sprout Social survey found that 85% of people are more likely to stick with a brand that admits mistakes quickly. Transparency doesn’t make you look weak—it makes you look real.
Listening in Practice: How to Actually Do It
1. Start early
Don’t wait until your project is halfway done. Bring the community in from day one. Let them shape the plan, not just review it.
2. Ask fewer questions
People hate long surveys. Instead, ask one or two meaningful questions:
- What do you want us to fix?
- How can we make this easier for you?
Simple questions get honest answers.
3. Go where people already are
Don’t expect everyone to come to your meetings. Show up at schools, farmers markets, or local festivals. It’s easier for people to talk when they’re comfortable.
4. Use their feedback fast
When you get good ideas, act quickly. Even small wins show that you’re serious. Fix a sidewalk. Sponsor a youth event. Share updates as they happen.
5. Keep showing up
Trust doesn’t come from one event. It’s built through consistency. Even when projects end, stay connected. People remember who stayed, not who stopped by.
Listening Builds Better Strategy
The best outreach isn’t about what you say—it’s about what you learn. Listening helps companies avoid tone-deaf campaigns, improve products, and make smarter investments.
It also changes the way communities see you. You’re no longer the outsider coming in. You’re the partner who stuck around.
Morales once summed it up this way:
“People don’t need perfect answers. They need proof that you care enough to ask the right questions.”
That’s the difference between engagement and marketing. One starts with a pitch. The other starts with an ear.
The Takeaway: Trade the Microphone for a Chair
If you want real engagement, stop treating it like advertising.
Forget slogans. Skip the scripts. Bring a notebook instead of a slide deck. Sit down with people who live the reality you’re trying to change.
When you listen first, everything else—brand loyalty, participation, reputation—comes naturally.
Engagement isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about shutting up long enough to hear what matters most.
