In business communication sell emotional experiences
We buy-in with our hearts, then justify our decision with our heads.
We are emotional beings first, we use reason and reason to make sense of our emotions. When we buy a house, despite the list of features we desire, we buy on emotion not logic. “This feels like home”. Once we have chosen our new home on emotion we justify why it is right, why we don’t need some of the missing “must have” items on our list.
Steve Jobs knew the secret that we buy-in emotionally, not on a list of features. When he launched the iPod rather than sell it as a 5 gig mp3 player (as other firms were trying to do with their Mp3 players), he enticed us with how it would impact our lives. He knew to Sell emotional experiences.
Imagine being able to carry your entire record collection with you, 1000 songs in your pocket.
Studies have shown repeatedly that we value experiences far more than things. People will pay more for an enjoyable experience than a thing. Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, knew this truth too, he knew to Sell emotional experiences. In 1990 coffee sold for 50c a cup, yet he started a store that sold coffee at $5 a cup. The market and coffee sellers thought he was crazy, “nobody will ever pay $5 for a cup of coffee!” We know today he was right. Today we know he was spot on, Starbucks has become a worldwide brand.
If you look carefully at the Starbucks model you’ll see it is not about the coffee, but about the coffee experience, how it makes us feel. Schultz positioned Starbucks as the “third place”, a place to relax between home and work. The place where people can hang out and relax in a beautifully designed store, with music, leather couches, knowledgeable staff and a wonderful range of coffee to suit every taste.
What will you do? Sell features, or an experience which touches your client’s emotions?
If you want to learn how to create One Clear Message and Sell emotional experiences in your interactions then Contact us today!
Richard Riche
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