Heart Vs Brain – Which one dominates when people buy products and services?
Research shows that people no longer simply buy products and services based on brand, price and how good the offerings are. No matter how well the product is showcased, when a customer makes a purchase these plain facts aren’t of sole or great significance. A customer’s decision-making course goes far beyond the rational thought process; it permeates the subconscious. Because, people buy emotions!
Research by the Nielsen Company shows that roughly 90% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously. This leaves only 10% made by rational thought, based on the attributes of a product and service adding value to a customer’s life.
Whether a customer is buying a car, a dress, a watch or a banking solution cum insurance policy, they buy when they feel (emotionally) it is significant to make that purchase.
Therefore, how do we connect to people’s emotions so that we can appear significant to their subconscious?
Here are some tips:
Segment your Customer Base
One should not serve the same cup of coffee to all one’s customers. Some may like it with sugar, some may like it black, others with cream or milk. Thus, the same applies to retail promotional tools. One should not send the same email to all customers. Introduce proper segmentation of customers possibly based on age, gender, ethnicity, profession, seniority and other factors, preferably relevant to their area of business. This segmentation will enable targeted addressing of each customer’s preferences. It also means one needs the right “designs” to make the subtle and not so subtle differentiation.
Speak their Language
It’s time to change the language to match the emotions of the target market. No longer is traditional jargon so useful. Whatever the retail method employed to attract customers, speak to their hearts and not to their minds. Emphasise in emotional terms how the offerings meet the expectations closest to their hearts. Appreciate the customer’s needs and engage in a conversation in the language they will understand emotionally.
Create Certainty and Comfort
People stay where they are comfortable. One should communicate how certain one is in delivering what the customer expects, thereby making them feel confident that their needs are being met by the services and products of the business. All promotional efforts in the organisation should deliver this integrated message to the customer so it takes root in their subconscious.
Love and Connect
Where there is love there is life. So, we should love our customers enough to give them the best they deserve. Communicate the love you have for your customers and get connected. People love to be loved. Use this powerful emotion to convert them to your offerings.
Social Contribution
It’s not only about receiving, it’s also about contributing. When your organisation contributes to making this world a better place, through CSR efforts or even online through the distribution of free content and other public service-oriented initiatives, people would want to be a part of that contribution. This will make them feel significant and valued when spending their money on your offerings.
These are some basic ideas to help connect emotionally with your customers. The driving force in life is a need to be fulfilled, and our purchasing decisions are a direct manifestation of this need. Make sure you create that significance in your offerings to your customers.