| |
| |
|
Sales Information |
|
|
|
Using Emotion for Persuasion
The other day, I received the last issue of a business magazine before my subscription runs out. Now, I like this magazine, but I'm swamped with reading matter so I won't renew. Of course, I've received many reminders and offers about renewing; magazines try very hard to keep the subscribers they've got. So when the last issue came with a special promotional wrapper on the cover, I wasn't surprised. But, what made this one interesting was a clever piece of copy that hit an emotional chord: inside the back cover of the special wrapper were the words, "You're about to be dropped from our list of active subscribers. Unless you act now." Personally, I thought it was an effective piece of copy (even though I still won't renew). It made an emotional case for what is essentially a business-to-business offer. Many people who write persuasive copy, whether in sales letters or internal memos, say the rest of us underestimate the power of emotion in getting the response we want from our messages. There's a sort of rule of thumb that goes like this: Consumers buy on emotion and justify on reason. In other words, we, as buyers, think we're being rational in making a decision to purchase, or in choosing among different offers, but in reality we make the decision with our hearts and then justify that decision with our reasoning powers. In the case of the magazine copy, I was about to be dropped -- Imagine! Me being dropped! -- from the list of active subscribers. I'm not sure what active subscribers are: do they also have passive subscribers? But, the meaning comes through. I'm about to get dropped from an exclusive club unless I act now. Which is where the emotional factor kicks in. Who wants to be dropped? Isn't that like being in high school again and not wanting to be excluded from a popular group? Isn't there an eternal desire to belong? With this appeal to my insecurities and ambitions, the copywriters have forced me to think about my decision not to renew. I can't just make a 'business as usual' decision; it must be a personal as well as business decision. And when a message gets 'personal,' it demands more involvement from the reader or listener. More involvement, in turn, means more attention to the message, making it more persuasive. If you sell, this idea won't come as much of a surprise. But, if you try to influence behaviors in other ways, you may wish to add emotion to your communication toolbox. It's something you do by getting 'personal,' by tapping into the hopes, fears, or aspirations of those with whom you're communicating. Of course, we must use emotion ethically and responsibly. If you plan to use it, step back and ask yourself how you would respond if someone else directed that kind of a message to you. That's always a simple but helpful litmus test. About The Author Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Each week subscribers receive, at no charge, a new communication tip that helps them lead or manage more effectively. Click here for more information: http://site-fuel.com/?abbottr-emotion
MORE RESOURCES:
Sales - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
UK Sales and Marketing Terminology Terminology / AcronymsABC figures: This is the independently audited sales figure for all recognised publications in the UK. By using the ABC figure, you can quickly establish how much the advertising will cost per 1,000 readers. Your Voice is Your Instrument On an introductory call, your voice is your instrument. During a face-to-face meeting, you have visual cues and body language available to add layers of meaning. Why Executives Wont Take Your Call Do you hang up on telemarketers? 9 times out of 10 I do. Why do we do this? I hang-up because I am afraid that they are going to waste my time. Another Warm Lead Saturday morning, I sat in my pajamas, sipping strong, black coffee and petting Ms. Kitty Cat. Complacency and Fear are Sales Busters Prospecting is the engine that propels anyone in sales. Without consistently initiating contact with prospective customers to talk with, your sales will plummet and everybody loses. Cold Calling Reluctance Most salespeople I know consider cold calling a dreadful, but essential activity in our profession. Even those who are good at it rarely like it. Stuff We Make Up About Our Prospects ? Go through the "no's" to get to "yes." ? It takes X number of "no's" to get 1 "yes. Why Cold Calling Is Dead Our world of selling is closed off from other areas of business that continue to adopt and embrace new, efficient ideas. I was reminded of this recently while re- reading Seth Godin's "Permission Marketing. Persuading Learners to Buy: 7 Groups There are seven major reasons why adults continue their pursuit to learn. Each of the reasons play into the way you want to present your sales information. Generating Sales Leads Any company that relies on selling a product or service needs strong sales lead generation. A sales lead is a prospective customer. Value-added Selling? "Value-added." That word is used so much it has become a cliché in business circles. The Force That Drives Buying Decisions What do people buy? They don't buy your wonderful presentation. People buy solutions and visions. EXHIBITORS - Check Your URL How many of you have a corporate web site? Everybody says "Yes".How many of you know its proper URL? OK, most of you. Recommending Products Vs. Selling Them Some of the best sales people I have ever met, were able to meet all of their sales goals without ever selling a thing. They simply recommended their products to their customers. Stop Telemarketers, Do Not Call List or Not American consumers have spoken and have done so loudly registering 50 million telephone numbers with the FTC's National Do-Not-Call list since the registry debuted in July.This new telemarketing sales rule, which was scheduled to take effect October 1st, recently encountered two legal battles which could diminish the rule's intent - to allow consumers to fight back against annoying telemarketing calls. The Most Important Word in a Business Letter What do you think it is? Many experts insist it's the word "you." Why?When most of us read anything, we're looking for something that interests us. YOUR Future Profits -- Protect Source With CARE At 21 years, just out of Business College, I went into the mail-order business. Spent 4-1/2 years in this venture and learned many valuable lessons about building customer relationships. Referrals: Getting Good Business By Doing Good Business Whether you're a conventional sales person, a professional - such as a dentist or lawyer or doctor - or a business owner, you've got to have clients to stay in business. There are several ways to do this: either continue to find new customers, keep all of the customers you've ever had, get old clients to return, or get customers to send in referrals. What is Lead Generation? Lead Generation is vital to all businesses. All companies try to attract new customers, and this is a kind of lead generation. Sales Copy Tips Writing good sales copy is not an art, it is a science. There is no reason to get creative here.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
