On speaking to your clients directly, from the heart
Today I hosted the first class in our Autumn marketing course, and we got off to a flying start! We were speaking about the psychology of selling, and how to create a message which resonates with your clients at an emotional level. The class has been designed from my own experience of promoting Ditto; all the things that we’ve tried along the way, and the things I wish we’d realised sooner. And do you know what the biggest turning point was in our marketing success? Speaking to our clients directly, from the heart.
Emotional connections really matter in the world of marketing. I mean, emotional connections are hugely important full stop; they’re the absolute basis of the way we experience the world and form the cornerstone of our decision making. What’s more, emotional decisions are so much stronger than logical ones. You know that feeling, when you just have to have something - even though it might be more money then you’d planned to spend, or there’s a more convenient alternative? When the simple fact is that no other option will do - your heart knows what it wants, and that’s that. That’s precisely the feeling you need to aim to create with your marketing - that immediate sense of connection, empathy and desire.
Your clients are, after all, real people. Real people with fears and insecurities, hopes and aspirations. Show that you can empathise with their feelings and honestly, you’ve won half the battle in creating an emotional connection.
The one thing that’ll instantly change how your clients are able to relate to you is by adjusting the language you use, and the way you speak to your audience. Don’t aim to sell to them. Don’t insult their intelligence with hyperbole - and don’t undervalue your business by skimming too lightly over the surface of what you do, either. Just speak to them honestly, as you would to a friend. Tell them about the people you most love to work with, and tell them why it is they’ll love what you do. What this does is display empathy, a hugely powerful tool which creates instant connection. Paint a picture of how they’ll feel when they buy from you. Use words and images to tell a story - make it rich, emotive and real. Tell your story, the story of your business. Don’t hide behind your business name, or speak in generic terms using the royal ‘we’ if actually, you’re a small team. People love to know who they’re working with, even more so when that team are as clever and talented and as passionate about what they do as I expect yours is.
What I’m saying is don’t be afraid to stand up and be seen. Be you, the authentic, wonderful, unique brand that you are. I promise it’ll make an astonishing difference.
