12 Jul It’s Time to Get Emotional
Chances are, you’ve probably struggled with finding an amazingly effective marketing message that skyrockets sales for your business. If you haven’t struggled, well, you must be a marketing genius.
The truth is, getting your customers to act on your company’s message requires a great deal of strategy, and there are a few different tactics from which to choose.
One approach: Empathy.
Empathy marketing is establishing an emotional connection between your brand and your audience. Since most humans are inclined to act on emotion, they’re more likely to respond to your call-to-action when you strike a chord with them.
The best companies conducting empathy marketing are those that take the time to understand their customers’ “pain points.” When you understand your target audience, you can shape your marketing to meet their specific concerns.
For instance, no one does it better than the SPCA, with their gut-wrenching commercials for animals in need. One look at those kittens and you’re scrambling to find your wallet.
A more realistic example (since not all companies conducting emotional marketing campaigns are animal shelters), is this Zillow commercial.
This ad is targeted toward people who need to find the perfect house, but they’re separated. When someone sees this commercial and relates, they gain a sense of trust. And consumer trust is solid gold for any brand.
Another example is this Nationwide ad campaign, which empathizes with those who are afraid they might never be able to retire.
The “you are not alone” approach builds trust by showing compassion and acceptance.
The bottom line is this: listen to your customers and make your marketing about them, not about you. When you do this, people will know that you have their best interest in mind.
And, while there are certainly other paths you can take when creating your marketing messages, sometimes all you have to do is tug on some heart strings to make things happen.