Say It With Heart
A man goes to the local car lot to look for a new, fuel-efficient sedan; somewhere along the way he winds up test-driving the red 400 horsepower two-seater. There are many ways to explain why something like this happens; however, in the world of small business marketing, the explanation begins with the heart.
Many small business marketers focus their efforts on winning the mind only—they attempt to persuade the audience on a purely intellectual level. You must, however, be aware that the heart (emotions/feelings) makes far many more decisions than the mind. And in the case of the gentleman at the car lot, you may even discover that the heart vetoes the mind.
So for those that find your marketing messages, as sensible as they may be, are falling on deaf ears—it may be time to make an appeal to the heart.
Moral Compass - One of the ways to get your audience moving is to appeal to their value system.
Example: “Wouldn’t you rather spend your money right here in the community rather than see it go to Asia?”
Phobias - Zeroing in on common fears is a classic way of moving your audience one step closer.
Example: “What will happen if you wife’s car finally breaks down when you’re away on your next business trip?”
Self-Reward - Encouraging your audience members to take a little “me” time.
Example: “Kids, lunches, work, laundry and it’s not even 1 p.m. You’ve earned the right to take a mini-shopping trip today. ”
Peer Pressure - Keeping up with the Jones’ has always been a major motivating factor for many consumers.
Example: “Even the kid in the mailroom drives a nicer car. Maybe it’s time to step things up a bit”
Guilty Conscience – Tap into the areas that keep your audience awake at night.
Example: “How much more would the kids have in their college savings account if you’d simply got better advice? It’s not too late…”
As you map out your marketing efforts, always know that the heart of your audience will likely be a stronger influence than the mind.
Walter Dailey is a marketing speaker and proven creative professional. He’s the lead consultant and executive producer for Dailey Sound Vector Media, a creative services organization that specializes in commercial, jingle and marketing campaign development for small businesses throughout the US. Ask Walter your questions at walter@dsvmedia.com