Sell Like A Car Commercial: It's All About The Emotions

Picture a car commercial. It starts with a panoramic sweep over incomparably beautiful natural scenery. A vehicle comes into view, driving fast down a mountain road or offroading over rugged terrain. The driver smiles, eyes shining with excitement, while a voiceover waxes poetic about the thrill of adventure and four-wheel drive. Alternatively, the voiceover is parental and accompanies visuals of happy families on road trips while talking about entertainment and airbags.

What do these have in common (other than being car commercials)?

They're all about emotional selling.

Let's switch up our scenario: A potential customer finds your Instagram, browses through your content, clicks on your storefront and decides to make a purchase. Awesome, right?

What led them to that decision? Was it the product's features, price, your content, or something else entirely? Honestly, the answer to that is probably the benefits, which means the purchase was emotionally driven.

A feature is an essential function or component of a good or service. In contrast, a benefit refers to how a product's features could make a consumer's life easier or more enjoyable.

Social media platforms have become bustling marketplaces, and understanding the psychology of consumer behaviour is more important than ever. Businesses can and should leverage the power of emotions to drive purchasing decisions and foster strong connections with their audience.

One of the core tenants of marketing - both digitally and traditionally - is this: Emotions Drive Decision-Making. Seriously, let me just say that again: emotions drive decision-making!

Studies have shown that 95% of purchasing decisions are subconscious and driven by emotions rather than logic. When a customer engages with your brand on social media, their emotional responses play a pivotal role in their buying choices.

To capture attention and encourage engagement, you want to create emotional resonance. In other words, tailor your content to evoke specific emotions. Use compelling visuals, relatable stories, and language that resonates with your audience's feelings.

Emotions are the building blocks of trust and loyalty. Establishing an emotional connection through your social media content fosters a sense of belonging and encourages repeat purchases.

Let's talk about emotional triggers for social media marketing.

This may seem like an unending quagmire of soft feelings, but let's be so for real for a minute - emotions drive every part of our lives. Tapping into them for marketing is so easy if you let yourself feel for a moment instead of thinking 100% analytically.

Joy and Happiness:  Everyone needs a little mood boost, right? Share uplifting stories, showcase moments of delight, and celebrate successes with your audience. Create content that spreads positivity and brightens their day.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Limited-time offers, exclusive deals and behind-the-scenes glimpses can evoke FOMO, driving your audience to take action swiftly. It sounds wild, but it works. Why else is there a new trending travel cup every single year? FOMO. That's why.

Trust and Security: Build trust by highlighting customer testimonials, showcasing your team, and offering transparent and reliable customer service. People like to know who they're buying from and that that person is a good person.

Relatability and Empathy: Connect with your audience on a human level. Show empathy, address their pain points, and let them know you understand their needs and challenges. That's all anyone really wants at the end of the day, right? To feel understood and empathized with. If you can learn to communicate that in a way that resonates, you'll be golden.

TLDR;

Emotion-based selling isn't just a strategy; it's a necessity. Car commercials are a great example of this - they talk about benefits before features. Safety for your whole family before airbags. A sense of adventure before 4-wheel drive. Be like a car commercial, and remember that behind every purchase is a person who feels. Tap into those emotions, and you'll unlock the doorway to a loyal and engaged customer base.