It’s just a car. It’s something we drive to and from destinations. It’s something that makes it faster and easier than walking or riding a bicycle.
But buying a car is so much more. And as it turns out, it is sometimes an emotional experience.
First there’s the feeling that you feel when you sit in the new car. Does it make you better happier? More alive? Excited? Like you could tackle anything? Don’t laugh – these are all typical reactions when someone is considering a new car. Even if the car isn’t new – just new to you – you will feel different emotions in different cars.
Then there is the feeling when you tell other people about it. These are your bragging rights. Do you feel proud to tell others about your choices?
Most importantly there are the feelings you have as a result of having the new car. These often carry over into other areas of your life. It’s not unheard-of for drivers to lose weight, go on a work-out regimen, undertake new challenges – all because of reflections of the feelings they get from the new car.
[tbpspa]So how does all of this translate into marketing lessons, particularly for your online business?
First, recognize that buying anything is an emotional experience. There is a reason people want your product. If you can tap into the emotions that people have in wanting a solution for their problem (aka your product), then you can emphasize how they will feel when they buy your product.
For example, people who are frustrated with the amount of paper on their desk, frantic about what to do next, or mad because they’ve just lost their password for the third time this week often buy my organization product.
They want the feelings of calm control and being on top of things in their life. By tapping into their frantic feelings, then showing them the calm they can feel when their business is organized, I am able to show them that Organize Your Online Business is THE soluton to their needs.
Second, people are more likely to share their experiences when they are proud of their associations and their decisions. This is particularly important in this time of social media sharing.
Rarely do you hear about the bad decisions your Facebook friends made. Instead, they share their excitement about joining the hottest program from a marketer with a great reputation. That’s who you want to be – the hot marketer with a great reputation.
It’s not just because it helps you sell more products. It’s because your customers appreciate you (emotion) and are proud (emotion) to be associated with you. So it behooves you to be THAT marketer.
Finally, emotion causes change. If you’ve ever been to a self-help program or a religious service, there is always emotion involved. Why? Because emotion causes more rapid change.
So when you are able to build in an emotional component to your program (your training, your book, your webinar), it will have a bigger impact. Whether it’s excitement, reflection, or humor, use those emotions to create rapid progress – thus enhancing your product even more.
The next time you look at buying any new product, consider the emotion involved. From groceries to cars and houses, there is always an emotional component.
What a great article (and not just because you promoted my product for which I am eternally grateful)! You have hit the nail on the head about the really important aspects of people’s lives and personalities. Emotions is what drives the train. As you know my great emotional lifts come from running whereas I’m not so emotionally enthused about many technical aspects of my business. I’m much more creative than technical ALTHOUGH a year ago I would never have realized that. Working with you and through my own programs has enabled me to realize that and to take advantage of it.
Here you have shown us (once again) how to take our everyday situations and apply them to our online businesses. You’ve also taught us to keep our eyes open as well as our hearts and I appreciate every single lesson I learn from you – you are phenomenal (did I say that yet today?)
Terrie
Thank you, Terrie – not just for your comment, but for the positive impact you’ve had on my life as well.
When I started the car buying journey, I thought I was content to drive any old car. I had been doing it for 20 years! But when it really began to get serious I realized that I wasn’t just buying a car. I was buying my perception of emotions I wanted.
For me that involved a car this time. For someone else it may be the computer they use, the phone they call on, the tablet they use, the house they live in. When you start to recognize the emotions that each item in your life evokes in you – you begin to control the emotions you want in your life.
I’m hoping through something as simple as this article, that others will feel a small part of the lessons I’ve learned over the past year or two – thanks to you!