As humans, we are very complex emotional beings and studies show that most of our decisions are actually driven by emotions that are connected to our subconscious minds. So when trying to create brands that people love, it is important that brands have emotional appeal or ‘Pathos’. It is also vital to have a deep understanding of how customers feel and the emotions that drive them. In this post, you will learn why emotion is so important in branding, as well as some emotional desires people have, and tips to help you create a more emotional connection with your audience.
Why is emotion so important?
"The single most powerful driver of customer behavior is emotion."
~ H. Tiersky
Whether you are selling a product or service, or you are trying to get people to donate to a cause, emotion is a crucial part of what drives people to make that decision.
I hope I don’t sound too academic, but according to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of purchase decisions are subconscious…Let me repeat, 95%!!!
That means that what drives people to take action is mostly just how they feel about your brand and the things that they associate with it in their minds.
How does your brand make people feel?
Emotional branding is not about being manipulative. It is not just about getting a sale, it is about the positive relationship between customers and your brand. It is about crafting your brands experience using empathy to show that you genuinely understand and care about your customers.
So how does your brand make people feel? It is not enough to just say you want them to feel ‘good’ or ‘happy’. Let’s try to be as detailed as possible and consider the emotional needs and desires that customers may have. Below are 5 emotional desires that people have. What emotional desires does your brand tap into?
1.) SELF CONFIDENCE OR ACHIEVEMENT
Does your brand give people a sense of achievement in life? How can you create a brand experience that is more inspirational? By encouraging people to feel better, smarter and more confident about themselves, you can create a more emotional connection with them. For example, when people are seen driving a BMW, they are perceived as more successful.. Dove is a brand that also tries to improve the self esteem of women.
2.) DESIRE TO BELONG
The desire to belong is deeply rooted in our DNA as humans. People want to feel like they are part of a tribe or a family. Does your brand give people a sense of belonging? Social Media clearly taps into this need because when people log in, they feel more connected to others. Everyone is looking to join their tribe of people who share the same beliefs and values as they do.
3.) DESIRE TO GET THE BEST
Your brand is what other people say it is. You might believe your brand is the best but do other people perceive it as the best? Not everyone is looking for the cheapest option. A lot of people are looking for the best quality and they are willing to pay a premium price for it. It isn’t enough to just have good customer service. Everything about your brand has to communicate that it is #1, or at least top 3.
4.) DESIRE TO EXPLORE
How can you create a brand experience that gives people the freedom to explore? People get bored easily in their everyday lives and they are always looking for something to make their lives more interesting or exciting. Exploration can be internal or external. Internal exploration can mean exploring your own creativity or pushing the limits of your mind and abilities. External exploration refers to the desire to travel, experience the world around us and try new things.
5.) NOSTALGIA
This is rarely used but it can also be a powerful way to create an emotional connection with people. How can your brand tell more meaningful stories that we all can relate to? There might also be something from the past that people now miss. By looking at the past, you might find something that people want to bring back. If your brand can bring back these positive memories, you can create a more emotional connection with your audience.
3 Ways to Create an Emotional Brand
1. Make a lasting first impression
Studies show that people start forming emotional responses in their brains within milliseconds, before they are even consciously aware of it. What is the first point of interaction that people have with your brand? For a lot of people it will be your website. It might also be an advertisement. How can you improve the first impression that people have? Do you have an effective headline that appeals to emotions? The first impression of your brand should be like love at first site and the best way to make a lasting first impression is through a more effective approach to design and messaging.
Your brand can approach design in a way that engages the other senses instead of only visual.
What does your brand sound like? What kinds of songs or sounds represent the personality and experience of your brand?
How can you use imagery more effectively to evoke the other senses like touch and taste? Just by using soft images with soft textures and colors, your brand can feel more gentle. Even warm colors like orange have been proven to trigger a desire to eat. Click here to learn more about how to use color in branding.
2. Tell a meaningful story
Your brand story isn’t just about you, it is about your customers problems, painpoints, and challenges and how you guide customers to solve them. It is also about how you help them achieve their goals, dreams and aspirations. Can customers relate to the story you tell? Do they see themselves as the center of your brands story? When creating a brand that connects emotionally with people, the focus isn’t just on getting a sale, it’s more about the relationship you build with your customer on their life journey and how it inspires them to tell the story of your brand to their family and friends. In todays world, when there are so many options on the internet, your brand needs to be more relevant in peoples everyday life, instead of only when they are shopping.
3. Create A Memorable Experience
How can you improve the experience that people have with your brand? One way to create a memorable experience is through events. People get bored easily and events are a great way to make life more interesting so customers have more positive feelings and associations with your brand. Especially if you you are collaborating with brands that they already love.
It could be a small webinar or it can be a large conference. One person who has been really good at this is Steve Jobs. People remember his events because he was known to be a great presenter, especially when he finally introduced the Macintosh to his audience. You can be a great speaker and you can invite other speakers or performers as well. Consider having great food and great music as well! Events are a powerful way to take your brand to the next level and create memorable experiences and emotional connections with people. The more grandiose, the better!
In Conclusion
How can your brand develop a deeper emotional connection with people?
By gaining a deeper understanding of your customers and using the insights to develop your brands design, messaging, and experiences, you can create a brand that has more meaning in peoples lives.
To learn more about emotional branding you can read “Emotional Branding: How Successful Brands Gain The Irrational Edge.”
