Get them feeling rather than thinking.
Why you should connect with your audience on an emotional level rather than a logical level.
Emotion governs the decision process.
Several studies have indicated that up to 90% of all decisions made are emotion-driven. Emotion is a subconscious reaction, while reason is conscious processing; we feel before we think. Most of the time, when we form an opinion about something, emotion is a major factor; “how do I feel about it?”. When we struggle to justify an opinion or a particular point of view, we simply comment that it’s “just a feeling”. Our emotions, and how we feel about certain things define the values that we have, and in turn shape the people that we are.
The Power of Storytelling
The basis of our whole culture is storytelling, going all the way back to the days of cave paintings or hieroglyphics, it was our urge to tell stories and communicate that took the interest of our peers, and drove the development of societies forward… We wanted to share our values with the people around us. The world we live in today is no different. We are surrounded by advertisements, campaigns, branding, TV, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Spotify…I could go on forever. Everyone is trying to shout something different to us and trying to drive us towards something. Of course, not everything we see or hear triggers action or engagement. This is because not everything that we see or hear translates into something we can feel, often taking little consideration of the values we hold.
The reason people are triggered by certain campaigns and not others is because of the stories they tell. A story is something you can feel and connect to emotionally as well as logically. By getting people to have an emotional response to the story you tell, you create a connection with them based on your values. Just like forming friendships, we first form an opinion on how we “feel” about someone before taking the time to find out more about them. This is something that consumers are constantly searching for, and something organizations can utilize to drive towards success, be it: turnover, brand awareness or any other goal; if you first connect to your audience through shared values, you increase your chances of sustained engagement because they understand more about who you are.
Logically approaching an emotional response.
Think carefully about the reaction you want from your audience. How does your product make them feel? What struggle is your audience currently experiencing and how does your company help with that? Build a story and message that talks to the heart of your audience. Identify how they feel and challenge it.
