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Marketers like to bring this example to explain what the difference is between selling a product and selling the benefit that the product gives the customer.
But what I would like you to think about for a moment is whether the customer really wants the hole, or whether they want the shelf that is going to be hung on that hole?
And if so – do they really want the shelf, or do they just want their room to finally be tidy?
And for that matter, do they want their room to be tidy, or do they just want to feel comfortable when they get home because it helps them relax after a busy day at work?
Customers buy due to emotional reasons
Instead of putting a picture of a boring drill, with the caption: Power drill: 550-Volt, speed transmission: 50-3,000 RPM, reversible, electronic, vibration level per minute: 0-33,000, maximum drilling diameter in concrete: 10 mm, weight: 1.5 Kg…
it is better to put a picture of a man smiling in work clothes, with the caption: There is nothing like returning to a tidy house, knowing you did it all with your very own hands:
When it comes down to it, most of our buying decisions stem from emotional, psychological motives.
Think about the extraordinary number of couples with one or two kids who recently bought a Mitsubishi Outlander.
Do you think they really need a 7-seater car? Definitely not.
It’s just an action that makes them feel like a family.
How many people buy an iPhone because they actually did a comparison and came to the conclusion that it is better than an Android phone?
How many people won’t buy an iPhone under any circumstances simply because they don’t want to be like everyone else?
How many people buy at Walmart because it manages to convey a sense of a marketplace in his stores?
How many people won’t buy at Walmart under any circumstances because it feels like it’s low-class?
And so on.
I know, I know.
You’re probably saying, “What nonsense. The fact is that iPhones last longer than Android phones.”
Or: “You can’t argue with the fact that Walmart is cheaper than Trader Joe’s.”
So, I am not saying that there are no rational considerations when making a purchase decision, but the decision is made in the end because of a hidden emotional need that the consumer is not necessarily even aware of.
Above the surface, rationalization takes place to justify the emotional choice, but it is not the one that drives the decision.
When it comes down to it, most of our buying decisions stem from emotional, and psychological motives. So, what do customers really want?
What are the benefits of marketing messages that appeal to emotion?
You can raise a lot of objections when it comes to rational arguments.
Walmart is cheaper?! Well, we made a comparison and our shopping cart is cheaper.
An iPhone lasts longer than an Android phone?! It’s cheaper to buy an LG every year than an iPhone once every two years.
These arguments work only externally.
And even then, there is a stronger emotional motivation that lurks beneath.
How to discover your customers’ emotional motivation?
When we perform customer optimization processes, we first begin with an in-depth research process that helps us discover their emotional motivations.
But there is a simpler method, and if you do it right I promise you will see a significant improvement in all metrics:
First, write down the basic needs of your target client, then keep asking the question “why” until you reach the emotional motivation.
For example: campaign optimization service
What does the customer want: to bring more leads.
Why? So they can make more money.
Why? So they can buy a bigger house for their family and buy their children what they want.
Why? Because they believe that if their children grow up to be financially prosperous, they will be happier.
Why? Because they grew up in a small house and their parents could not buy them the things they wanted, and it made them feel insecure.
Why? Because they felt that their parents were not as successful as their friends’ parents and they don’t want their children to feel the same way about them.
Boom!
Now we’ve reached the emotional motivation behind the desire to get more leads.
Our optimization service will allow you to spend more time with your kids, without having to worry about their financial well-being.
Of course, I went in a very specific direction with this example and I am not saying that it is the only way of analyzing the situation but I wanted to give you a better understanding of what I meant.
You need to answer the different “why” questions, according to how well you know your customers.
If your answers are accurate enough, you will find that suddenly your marketing messages become sharper than ever before.
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