There are two ways of thinking about marketing. The first is as a megaphone, that is all about you shouting about how great you are. The second and more subtle, yet no less effective way to approach marketing your business is based on creating a positive emotional experience. A tactic that will help you to garner lasting positive regard and customer loyalty. Something you can learn all about how to do in the post below.
Emotional advertising
The first way to give your customers ‘the feels’ is the most obvious, and it’s through advertising. In fact, there are already some excellent examples of this method, such as the drumming gorilla used by Cadbury, or the much-awaited John Lewis Christmas adverts.
What separates these out from all the others is that they minimise reference to the product. Instead, they focus on telling a story and the impact that this has on the people watching it. Thereby changing the watchers’ emotional state and creating a connection to the brand. This connection being one that is much deeper than merely telling them about their delicious chocolate or a fantastic shop. Something that can then be leveraged in terms of customer loyalty and that has the additional benefit of being share-worthy on social media too.
Online freebies
The next way you can give your customers the feels is to offer them something for free. In fact, there are two ways of doing this, the first of which is to provide something online for no cost. A technique you will no doubt recognise as the central tenet of good content marketing.
Of course, many types of content can be used for this purpose, informational blog posts being just one. Ebooks, online tutorials, access to VIP areas, and even downloadable assets such as GIFs, artwork, and even music can also be used to significant effect.
In fact, if you are trying to get a potential customer to sign up for your newsletter or complete some other action, this can be the best approach to use. The reason being that it is seen as a fair and equal trade for their information and time. Something that can help to maintain a positive relationship between them and your brand.
IRL Freebies
The other way to use freebies to give your customers positive feelings is to present them with an actual real-life item for free. Of course, this can be a more expensive way of marketing your business, but don’t think that makes it any less effective. In fact, getting your name and logo in front of the right people can make a massive difference to the success of your business. The best way of doing this being to offer them a good quality product that actually has some relevant and purpose in their life.
Freebies associated with fun can be much more effective than ones that relate to the office.
To that end, many businesses choose branded pens and office equipment, because they seem to have the most practical value. However, investing in items like these dynamic gift coolers that are not associated with the office, and have a positive relationship to recreational time can work even more effectively. After all, positive association is a powerful thing, and that is the aim of the game here.
Good causes
Another option you can use to give your customer positive feelings toward your business is to align yourself with a social cause. One way to do this effectively is to choose a charity to sponsor in an official capacity. Something that you can arrange by speaking to the charity directly.
Of course, the idea here is that you will pledge a donation either from profits or from fundraising activities that your employees get involved with. In return, you can expect some great press that will endear you to potential customers. You may even be able to use the charities logo on your website and letterhead as well.
Though, a word of warning to the wise does need to be stated here. It is that you must ensure that the charity or cause you pick is aligned with your business’s working practices for this to be a success. The reason being that if you partner with a charity, but don’t live up to their ethos, you’ll give your customers the feels, alright. Although they are likely to be angry and disappointed ones rather than happy ones. Something that could work utterly contrary to what you are trying to do with this marketing technique.
Summary
Remember, if you want powerful and lasting connections with customers, giving them ‘the feels’ is a highly effective marketing method.