What Works – IQ or EQ?

Emotions talk to consumers like nothing else does.

Saroo Brierley got separated from his Indian family at the age of five. The little, lost boy boarded a train and guess what? He was taken on board by a kind family in Australia. Nearly 25 years later, Saroo used Google to trace his Indian roots.

When selling to a consumer, try tugging at the heartstrings. Sure, he may not buy a home security system because it’s the “smartest thing to do.” But he just might buy your bromide if “It keeps his family safe.”

Insurance companies have been using this strategy for a very long time. Now it’s the turn of consumer durables, electronics and FMCG industry. All are trying to pull the emotional plug, and yes, it works.

When was the last time you watched a tear-jerker video and immediately reached to hit the ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ it with your Facebook friends or LinkedIn associates? Emotions leave indelible impressions. That’s why stories are a great way to tell your brand stories. Easier to understand and co-relate with, they are remembered and universal. Hard data, on the other hand, appeals only to a set demographic.

The outcome? Brands experience greater ROI and impact when they engage in emotional marketing. Telling a compelling story gives consumers the power to make their own conclusions, as this TrueMove H ad. There is not a word of spoken English, yet it makes you cry.

The Gallup Business Journal revealed through a 2009 study that B2B customers also respond to tear-wrenchers.

Take for instance Procter & Gamble’s product marketing. They focus on small details to build a larger picture. Everything from product design to packaging is part of their marketing strategy. They strike emotional chords that bind their customers to their brands. Consumers feel good after making a purchase.

Another example – this public service campaign broadcast in the UK. Simple words, powerful emotions and power-packed delivery. Again not a single syllable is spoken in the Embrace Life Campaign but facial expressions, musical score, and excellent cinematography bring a great story to life. It won the campaign of the year award.

Brands like Bing and Google adopt the same approach. More than words, emotions are the key driver of consumer decisions, actions, and experiences. For instance, Forrester’s Consumer Technographics® data shows that Etsy elicits very strong consumer sentiment, before, during, and after the purchase.

That’s the key to success for most, if not all brands.