Marline Henin on Strategic Empathy and Why Modern Marketing Must Do More Than Sell

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2025 / Marketing expert Marline Henin is urging businesses to reframe how they speak to customers. She believes many companies have lost touch with what makes people connect to brands in the first place. Her solution is something she calls strategic empathy, a discipline that requires deep understanding and honest reflection rather than clever slogans or generic targeting.

Henin has spent over a decade helping businesses grow. She has worked with companies looking to break into new markets, reposition themselves, or rebuild their strategy after stalled growth. Throughout her career, one pattern has remained consistent. When brands lead with empathy, results follow.

"Empathy is not about being nice," Henin says. "It is about being accurate. It is about knowing what matters to people before you ask for their attention or their money."

Marketing That Respects the Customer

Henin believes that many marketing plans fail because they rely too heavily on assumptions. Demographics and surface-level research are not enough. She encourages clients to ask harder questions. What are your customers afraid of? What do they hope for? What are they sick of hearing?

Henin says that empathy must be part of the planning process, not just the creative stage. One company she worked with had spent years targeting a younger audience using humor and trends. Sales were flat. After realigning the message around trust and support, sales improved within three quarters. The target audience had not changed. What changed was the way the company spoke to them.

"You cannot connect with someone if you do not understand what they are trying to solve," Henin says. "And you cannot understand them unless you listen."

From Insight to Action

Strategic empathy is not guesswork. Henin's process begins with research. She combines data analysis with direct feedback and customer observation. The goal is to build a real picture of the people behind the metrics. Then she works with clients to shape marketing strategies that respond to those insights.

For Marline Henin, empathy is a method. It can be learned and trained. She encourages leadership teams to review every customer touchpoint through the lens of understanding. Does the tone match the moment? Does the message reflect what the customer is thinking, not just what the company wants to say?

One client in the health and wellness space had been focused on features and benefits. Henin helped them shift the message toward encouragement and shared values. Within months, customer retention improved. Reviews increased. The brand felt human again.

A Broader View of Marketing

Henin challenges the idea that marketing exists only to drive sales. She sees it as a reflection of the company's values. When done well, it builds trust and long-term loyalty. When done poorly, it creates noise.

She also pushes back against the idea that automation can replace listening. While she uses tools to gather insight, she believes that interpretation still requires care. Empathy is not something that can be outsourced.

"Marketing should not trick people. It should speak to them," Henin says. "People know when a brand sees them as a number. And they remember the ones that treat them with respect."

A Personal Mission

Henin's approach is shaped by more than her business experience. She supports causes that focus on children and housing. Her involvement with charities that serve homeless youth has given her a clearer sense of what people need most, to be seen and valued. She brings that same mindset to her consulting work.

"When I give to these causes, I am reminded that people carry unseen burdens," she says. "The same is true in business. You do not know what your customer is going through. But you can choose to meet them with care and clarity."

Looking Ahead

Henin believes more businesses are starting to recognize the value of empathy in strategy. Not as a trend, but as a shift in mindset. She continues to advise companies that want to grow without losing their identity. For her, success is not just about bigger numbers. It is about deeper trust.

About Marline Henin
Marline Henin is a marketing strategist based in Canada. She founded her consultancy after years of experience helping businesses scale through brand strategy, market research, and long-term planning. She holds an MBA in marketing and is an active supporter of nonprofits focused on youth development and housing.

To learn more visit: https://marline-henin.com

CONTACT:

Contact Marline Henin:
Email: henin@marline-henin.com

SOURCE: Marline Henin