Did you know that 90% of the decisions you make stem from the limbic system, or the emotional centre of your brain? That means that a large chunk of your buying decisions are also based on emotion rather than logic. When customers have positive emotions towards a brand, they can become attached to it. This leads them not only to purchase from the brand, but also to share it with others.
Creating an emotional response is an important component of impact marketing.
What’s your emotional impact on your clients? If you’re thinking through your marketing strategy and realizing that it’s mostly logic based, you’re not alone. Don’t worry! There are many ways to increase your emotional impact. First, you need to know which emotions to target.
What are the best emotions to try to evoke in your customers?
In a study by Jonah Berger, author of Contagious, it was discovered that articles creating a physiological response in the body were more likely to be shared.
The five emotions that are most likely to motivate someone to share are:
- Awe
- Excitement
- Amusement
- Anger/Disgust
- Anxiety
The most positive emotions such as awe, excitement and amusement are ideal for ad campaigns and your website’s emotional impact. However, the other two emotions (anger/disgust and anxiety) can also be used in successful campaigns, although it may be a bit trickier to do so.
Viral content often evokes these emotions. Who doesn’t remember when Gangnam Style came out? It was an instant internet sensation that created awe and amusement in viewers. In the business world, the Dollar Shave Club snagged 12000 customers in their first two days of business with their introductory video targeting twenty-something metrosexuals. The video creates excitement, while also including elements of humour.
Ready to give it a try? Creating an emotional response is an important component of impact marketing. Get started by planning your next marketing campaign.