Some recent tweets that came across the @cnybj Twitter feed, offering various small business, tech, HR, and career tips.

Melanie Brenneman @MelanieB
13 Steps Business Owners Should Take To Inject Humanity Back Into #CustomerService https://buff.ly/2xb2hPU @Forbes #smallbiz

SBA @SBAgov
U.S. communities and families depend on small businesses. More than half of the U.S. workforce either works for or owns a small business. If you are thinking about starting a business, follow these 10 steps — http://ow.ly/lG9W50uOt7v 

Business Angels @_BusinessAngels
Why Startup Founders Have To Get Positioning Right http://dlvr.it/R7B8PR 

NFIB @NFIB
Writing an effective job description can help your #SmallBiz target the best talent – here’s how: https://www.nfib.com/content/resources/economy/perfecting-the-art-of-the-job-description/

Small Business Expo @SmallBizExpo
The Two Mad Skills You Need to Land the Job You Want Now http://twib.in/l/jrx6o74A7RaE

Brazen: Conversational Recruiting @BrazenHQ
Technology is a great partner to help #HR leaders execute their strategies but when it comes to company culture, there’s no substitute for the power of human connection. http://bit.ly/2Lq0S0j via @FastCompany

PwC @PwC
How can we make sure #AI benefits business and society? By addressing it across five key dimensions. Explore our #ResponsibleAI Toolkit, launched today at @wef in Dalian: http://pwc.to/amnc

Bonadio Group @bonadiogroup
As our technology environment continues to evolve, so does the need to protect non-public student information. Carl Cadregari, Exec VP of our Enterprise Risk Management division, explains further. https://www.bonadio.com/news-events/articles/compliance-gramm-leach-bliley-act-glba

Careerminds @Careerminds
How does age diversity affect HR practices? Click the link below to learn about the pros and cons: https://hubs.ly/H0jztbl0

Mark C. Crowley @MarkCCrowley
Next time someone brings you a new idea or proposal, resist the temptation to point out its flaws, why it won’t work, etc. Instead, thank them for their initiative, their #creativity & desire to help. When dealing with motivated #human beings, praise works best.

Marta Frazão @MartaFrazaoG
Effective coaching requires empathetic and action-oriented managers. Learn what else is needed to create a feedback-rich #companyculture: http://bit.ly/2XDI18l #FutureofWork #HR #Career

Alexis Alcala @AlexisAlkla
It’s one thing to provide feedback, but ideally managers should help employees with HOW to continuously improve. Find out what #HR must do to enhance manager feedback and coaching: http://bit.ly/2XDpwRD

Hannah Morgan @careersherpa
15 Reasons Companies Seem To Repost Jobs Forever via @JaobShare https://buff.ly/2xcnklh

Tamela Lewis @BANKurKNOWLEDGE
What you are afraid to do is a clear indicator of the next thing you need to do. #biztips #career

We live in the information age — aptly named because we have unprecedented access to information through many platforms. Researchers estimate that between television, radio, the internet, email, and social media, the average person receives the equivalent of 174 newspapers worth of data every day. 

 That means consumers have a lot to sort through and choose from when shopping for virtually any type of product. And studies show they demand more transparency from companies to help them make an informed decision. 

 This is especially critical in digital marketing. With information so abundant and readily available, companies are becoming increasingly transparent in an effort to engage the potential customer. They’re inviting potential customers into their world rather than talking at them.

 Here are five ways that being transparent in digital marketing can win over customers:

• It builds trust. You deserve more than someone playing games with you and withholding information. Consumers expect and are entitled to know exactly what they’re signing up for. The financial advisors my firm works with, for example, tell us that they build such good rapport with their seminar attendees before the event occurs because of the way they’re featured on the event landing page. There’s a lot of “gotcha marketing” going on in the world today, and no one likes to feel like they got fooled.

• Develops loyalty. Surveys show that the vast majority of consumers will be loyal to a brand that practices transparency. Brands now have the enhanced opportunity to show their personalities and values due to the internet and social media. So consumers expect to know more about companies than ever before. And if you give them transparency, they’re willing to pay extra for it.

• Shows authenticity. To do digital marketing right, companies need to take a deep dive into who they are, where they’ve been — warts and all — and show a vulnerability that potential customers can relate to. People can see themselves in what you truthfully present. The whole objective is to create a human interaction, and being authentic in this way is one of the most powerful things you can do.

• Pairs a great offer with great value. Regardless of what you’re selling, there is some ulterior factor we’re using as an advertising carrot. An example would be a time-share presentation; get a free cruise if you sit down and listen to them talk about some product they’re trying to sell you. But the carrot blinds you from the actual intent of the event. In order to be transparent and build good trust, the offer has to be paired with value.

• Increases efficiency. Becoming more transparent through digital marketing can greatly improve a company’s efficiency by spending less time talking around product limitations and sidestepping customers’ concerns. By not embellishing your results, you save time for more productive work.

Giving consumers access to all the information they need to know without masking your intentions is a proven way to build better relationships through digital marketing.      

Jonathan Musgrave is the owner and chief digital marketer for Steep Digital Marketing (www.steepdigital.com), which he founded in 2017. His digital marketing agency specializes in seminar advertising, lead generation, and marketing automation for financial advisors.