Monday, May 18, 2015

AMiable Solution #142: When Emotions Aren’t Enough

If you studied science or math in school, you know that not all decisions are made on emotions.  In fact, we’d venture to guess that you’re more prone to practical, logical reasoning in everyday thinking than your photography and music counterparts.

That’s not to say that either way of thinking is wrong.  People make purchasing decisions based on both emotions and logic.  The trick is to figure out which approach is more appropriate for each product or service.  Sometimes you’ll use one and then the other.  Most times, you’ll use some combination of both.

According to Ken Orwig of Orwig Marketing Strategies, your offer itself can help determine which appeal--emotional or rational--to emphasize. 

When is a rational appeal best?  According to Orwig, if your product or service has a distinctly different component than your competition and is proven beneficial, then a rational appeal emphasizing this unique advantage is recommended.  In addition, higher-priced items that require careful evaluation and scrutiny are generally better suited to logical appeals

Conversely, if your product or service is basically the same as everyone else’s, then an emotional appeal will likely work best.  Furthermore, if your product or service belongs to a mature market, where the benefits are well known, an emotional appeal differentiating your from your competition could be in order.


As always, every campaign should be treated individually, paying close attention to the specific characteristics of the target audience, and every approach should be tested and tested and then tested again.  

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