Recession Proof Marketing – Tickle the Emotions

January 14th, 2008 | Posted by Paul Miser in Marketing,Paul Miser

As I look around at my current, past, and future clients, I see that a lot of them are struggling to get their leads into the sales column. Their marketing helps them generate the leads but find themselves falling short in closing them. Why are there so many people out there willing to put forth the effort in being a lead, but not willing to go the next step and actually make the sale? What could be the main factor here? Consumer spending was up in 2007, so that’s not it. And the Real Estate meltdown can’t effect this many industries; can it? Should we blame it on our industry? Should we blame it on the economy? In a world full of blame, so many small business owners want to point the finger at something they can’t control. But, in this instance, we need to turn the finger on ourselves because you are generating leads, aren’t you? So if the leads are coming in through the marketing efforts, the real question becomes “What can my company do to close this sale?”

This, my friends, will require something that is called emotional marketing, which is the answer to many marketing dilemmas, especially getting sales in a Recession Economy. For example, a flooring company in San Diego has had tremendous success in the past with their marketing. They are one of the most widely known names in the industry, but in the past 5 months or so, they have seen the same amount, if not more, leads coming through the door with fewer sales. Their marketing portrays that physical nature or beauty of having a new floor. They advertise the increase in home value a new floor can add as well. All of these are great aspects mind you, but why would I, as the consumer, spend money in an unstable economy on something that I don’t need?

The answer is simple; Emotion. If this same company implemented an emotional marketing campaign that portrayed the feeling that you could have with a new floor instead of the features of a new floor, the results will be outstanding. For example, “With a new bamboo floor throughout your home, not only will your home value increase, but your furniture and paint will look more crisp and your guests will be envious of the way your house looks.” Allowing the customer to build this mental and emotional image of what the product or service offers will give you that edge to turn leads into sales through marketing. It’s that simple. Satisfy the emotional aspects to the buyer and reap the rewards.

Design Your Own Emotional Marketing Campaign

Understand why your market purchases your product or service.Consumers purchase products or services to fill a need or void in their life. Find out what that void is and you will be a step above the rest.

Identify keywords or phrases will elicit the correct emotions for the purchase decision. While identifying the actual need or void that you will be filling for your market, also look for certain keywords or phrases that they say. Look for words like feel, felt, etc.

Define the “Point of Emotion.” Here you need to identify the point in the sales cycle where the emotional aspect is key, then attack that point with emotional stimulation.

The Emotional Aspect of marketing is the most powerful aspect we could ever identify. Utilize this to your advantage.

Paul Miser is the President of Miser Advertising and Marketing, an International Marketing Strategy and Branding Agency in San Diego County. Miser Advertising is a full-service marketing agency that acts as a complete marketing department for small businesses in the San Diego area and the World. You can reach Paul Miser by emailing him atpmiser@miserad.com.