Want to create content that resonates? This practical guide to empathy mapping shows you how to tap into the emotions that make people lean in and act.

AI tools for creating content are only going to get more intelligent. But there is still a critical gap – AI doesn’t know your audience. It doesn’t know what matters most to them or what would speak to their hearts and minds. And let’s face it – content that works isn’t just well-written, it’s well understood. 

This all starts with empathy, and it’s a skill we proudly hang our hat on at Writers. We use words to help our clients speak to the instinctively human parts of our psyche.

More than acknowledging people’s emotions, empathy is feeling with people. And it fuels connection.  In this article, we share our process for tapping into empathy.

Make people feel seen and heard

People don’t respond to content that tells them how they should think, feel and act. They want to feel seen and heard. They want content that connects – a conversation rather than one-way communication. 

Here’s how you can do that. 

See the person on the other side

View your reader as a human with feelings, fears and future goals – not a dollar sign. This is also called psychographics – what motivates your potential customers to say yes.

That means you need to know who you’re talking to. And that’s not something you can pull from a spreadsheet, persona deck or even AI.

Understand their thoughts, opinions and feelings

If you can’t get in the room with your customers, send a survey. Review call centre recordings. Speak to your internal sales reps, customer service staff and subject matter experts.

You’ve likely got the customer data sitting around – put it to good use! Listen to what your audience has to say. But don’t stop at knowing how they feel. Seek to understand the meaning and intent behind the feeling. 

Empathy mapping can help you do that. 

Know the pains, share the gains

Understanding your audience goes deeper than what they think and do – it also uncovers why. It explores their emotional triggers or tensions and unspoken desires or doubts.

In her research on empathy, nurse Theresa Wiseman identifies what defines empathy:

1. Seeing the world as others see it
2. Being non-judgemental
3. Understanding another’s feelings
4. Communicating you understand

When you know what really matters to people, your content stops being noise and starts being necessary. Empathy mapping (a mind map style approach) helps you organise those customer insights and see the opportunities to tap into their emotions. 

Christophe Morin and Patrick Renvoise’s research into the neuroscience of persuasion revealed that the most powerful emotional triggers influencing decisions are the fear of regret and the pleasure of anticipation. 

“Diagnosing pains helps you unveil the most critical decision drivers out of the many psychological factors that may influence your customer’s behaviour.”

– Christophe Morin and Patrick Renvoise, Neuromarketing

An empathy map helps you tap into this by focusing on the most relevant ‘pains’ and ‘gains’ for your target audience. Allowing you to shape messages that feel real and personal.

Here’s how it works: 

1. Pick a persona and give them a name. 
2. Draw a big empathy map (see below) on a white board or butcher’s paper. 
3. Get someone from your team to become that persona. They’ll answer these questions as if they’re that person, helping you see through their eyes: 

• What are your worries or aspirations? (in relation to your market segment or category) 
• What do you hear from your friends, family, colleagues or boss while using the product or service (or a competitor)? 
• What do you see while using the product or service? 
• What are you saying and doing in public or in private while using the product or service? 
• What are you experiencing as a pain point or fear when using the product? 
• What are you experiencing as a positive or gain when using the product? 

Now you have a good handle on your customer needs and pain points, think about how that impacts how they interact with your brand and content. You can use these empathy mapping insights to write stories that stick.

The power of human stories

Empathy is the heart of powerful storytelling. Tapping into empathy unlocks authentic, relatable and engaging stories. Especially when the stakes are high. And fundraising appeals are a great example.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) funds research that powers breakthroughs in the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer – helping save thousands of lives each year in Australia. And donors are critical to making this possible. 

That’s why for each of its donor appeals, we get to know people touched by breast cancer through in-depth interviews so we can tell their stories and help supporters to connect on a more personal level. We also show empathy towards the donor audience. So when we’re writing, we’re asking:

• Why should they care about this story? 
• How does this connect to their world? 
• What do we want them to feel? 
• What do we want them to do? 

These insights can reveal connection points that help make campaigns more powerful, often helping NBCF exceed its fundraising target. That’s the power of human stories.

Empathy is your edge

So let’s go back to AI. Sure, it can mass produce content with minimal effort. But it can’t sit across from your customer or audience, look them in the eye and truly understand what’s weighing on their hearts and minds.

Human experience is your superpower. While others are racing to automate everything, you can build genuine connections that actually matter. And in a world drowning in generic content, that empathy-driven approach is your competitive advantage.

Want to understand your audience on a deeper level? We’d love to map that journey with you. Reach out today.