bb
branding
by Dawn Wagenaar
What's your brand
EQ? How to develop
the emotion quotient
People make buying decisions
based on logic, right? Actually, they
justify their decisions with logic, but
will keep products and services on
the short list based on emotion.
Consider your favorite kitchen appliance. You probably looked at price
and function, but you might have also
considered the color, packaging and
an emotionally appealing image of
a family blending up a smoothie or
cooking together. When you explain
your choice, you will use logical
reasons, but the emotions motivated
you to act.
There are lots of ways a brand can
appeal to emotion to get the sale.
Decide which of the following techniques could improve your company's
brand EQ.
Scarcity: I'll be left out or left
behind. A scarcity brand plays on a
person's fears about being left out of
a really great opportunity or deal, or
getting left behind. You will see this
brand paired with messages such as
"limited time," or "don't miss out."
You'll also see it in direct response
marketing when an offer "expires" or
is "exclusive." Scarcity works well if
your company appeals to a limited
number of prospects because you are
making the offer appear even more
exclusive. Offer an event with limited
seating or a "bonus" for the first 50
people/registrations to give your offer more appeal; nobody likes missing
an opportunity. Discounts for early
birds also work well.
Coolness: I'll be ahead of the
game, popular, loved. Any product or
service that makes people feel cooler
tips
1 an altruWith
ism brand, show
how people can
make a difference
in very specific
ways: buy a pair of
shoes and another pair goes to
a child at a specific
shelter.
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upsize december 2013 • january 2014
2
Purchase this
haircut and offer
the same service
to active military
families for free.
3 portion of
A
proceeds to an
animal shelter or
food shelf is also
concrete because it
is local and delivers
a direct benefit to
actual animals or
people you can see.
or more popular by association is appealing to emotion. Think about your
teenager's favorite brand of jeans or
athletic shoes. Think about the cars
people drive. In the world of cool,
you have to demonstrate how the
product or service brings the customer prestige with peers and loved ones
or popularity in business.
Creating coolness
Products or services connected
with a popular celebrity can have a
coolness factor. Use endorsements
and testimonials of your work to
build coolness. Your company can
also create coolness just by having
the most recognizable name in your
market. To stay cool, you have to continue innovating products or services
— proving that your customers are
4
Know your
customers well
enough to understand their values
and interests, then
tap into ways they
can do good by doing business with
you.
www.upsizemag.com
