If you have never read one of Seth Godin’s blogs, I would thoroughly recommend you give them a try. I don’t agree with absolutely everything he writes but much of it is really thought provoking stuff.
In today’s blog he was writing about customer service and his belief that it is all about changing how a customer feels not about changing the facts. I thought it was an interesting comment and was thinking about how it relates to marketing.
We often work with clients on understanding the difference between the emotional and rational reasons why customers buy their products and services, or those of their competitors. Another way to think about this is to answer the questions:
How does buying and consuming this product or service make customers feel?
What facts make customers buy or consume this product or service?
Whilst people will usually rationalise their purchasing by explaining the factual reasons for their choice, virtually every buying decision begins with an emotional reaction – how it makes people feel.
When designing communications, it is critically important to understand these emotional triggers and lead with them – following up with the facts. Think about some of these great advertising slogans:
A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play
The future’s bright, the future’s orange
The ultimate driving machine
Reassuringly expensive
It’s the real thing
Have a look at your communications – what’s the balance between facts and feelings?
Chris.