Emotion sells. It doesn’t matter how many great statistics and compelling, rational reasons you have for how your product or service is better than somebody else’s, the simple truth is that a strong, emotional appeal will likely work better. Sure, some people are more left-brain, logic-oriented and tend to make their buying decisions in a dispassionate, analytical fashion. But there is almost always some level of emotion attached to making a decision to buy. The more you can tap into a core emotion, such as joy, happiness, security, love, jealousy, envy, passion, anger, or peace, the better.
We are emotional and relational creatures. That’s the way we are wired, so it stands to reason that emotion will be involved, at some level, in most or all of our decisions. Simon Sinek in his book Start With Why points out that it’s the limbic hemisphere of the brain, the half where many of our emotional responses reside, is also the part of our brain where decisions are made.
The person or company who does a better job of tapping into the emotions of a customer will have far better results over the person who relies solely on facts and figures in presenting a case for making a purchase.
As you consider the product or service you are presenting what are the dominant emotions at play? Ask yourself not just what problem am I trying to solve for my customers, ask how you want your customers to feel as a result of making a decision to purchase from your or support your cause. Have you identified the key emotions that can be shared in presenting your story, your product, or your service? Figuring this out will be critical to your success.
Some time ago, I attended a marketing seminar where two videos were presented. Both were promoting a chiropractic clinic. Both were 2-3 minutes long. Both were professionally done.
The first video emphasized all certification they staff had, the latest state-of-the-art equipment they had, and their reputation for providing first-class customer care.
The second video opened with a home movie video scene of a high-school football game, where there was a player down on the field. The voice-over on the video said something like this: “Fifteen years ago, that was me on that field. I couldn’t feel my legs. I was planning to go to med school to become a surgeon. But my life changed that day. I feared I would never walk again. But over the next several weeks a team of doctors and nurses worked with me, and in time I not only got feeling back, I was able to walk again. I made the decision then and there that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping other people with debilitating injuries get their lives back as well.”
Which of the two videos was more compelling, more effective? Without question, it was the second one! Why? Because it told a story. The video tapped into my emotions getting me to feel as well as think.
So before you write your next ad or create your next campaign, think about how you can create stronger emotion in your presentation. Tell an emotional story. Get your audience to feel something about themselves and about what you have to offer.
Of course, we are always here to help. Call us at 407-563-4806.
