6 Ways to Use Emotions to Sell

Are You Missing These Ways to Use Emotions to Sell?
3 min read

In today’s ever-changing world of marketing, business tactics and advertising, there is one thing that has remained unchanged: ways to use emotions to sell.

Missing out on this very primary tactic have had enormous repercussions for the most prominent players in the past, and the tale continues today too. Behavioral economics tells us that instead of scrutinizing over cost and benefits, we make significant decisions based on emotions.

How do you use this simple human psychology to maximize your profits?

Read on to know how to create an emotional connection with customers and set sales digits running.

Every successful purchasing decision is an intricate interplay of emotional selling techniques. As sellers, you need to market not only your product but also sell the feeling, the lifestyle that comes with it.

You need to learn not only the needs of your customers but understand your potential buyer’s motivation behind making a purchase. If you don’t know how to touch your buyer’s heart, you stand the grave risk of diminishing sales. Brands with a strong emotional connection know the tricks to manipulate six extreme emotions to strike the hot iron: greed, fear, envy, pride, shame, and altruism.

6 Ways to Use Emotions to Sell

Greed

“If I make a decision now, I’ll be rewarded.”

Isn’t this mentality a major driving force behind a lot of our decisions? And remember, greed isn’t a bad emotion as it is always considered. Our want, our zest, and zeal lead us to achieve our goals, money, rewards, and promotions, don’t they? To tap into ‘greed’:

• Focus on personal gains for your customers.
• Show them a solid ROI (Return on Investments).- Speak about hard figures. Real dollars.
• Use testimonies of previously successful customers.
• Use emotional selling words like ‘profits and gains,’ ‘exclusive,’ ‘limited period,’ ‘distinguishing’ etc.

Fear

“If I don’t make a decision now, I’ll miss out.”

Fear is a powerful catalyst in any decision making. The fear of missing out on profitable deals makes customers jump at them. You just need to use proper techniques-

• Showing the price of inaction- Ask questions like, ‘Will your business sustain in today’s age with your current marketing?’.
• Project the catastrophic results that might await them.
• Narrate stories of projects gone haywire.
• Tell them the losses that await them if they do not grab on the deal.
• Use words like ‘consequence,’ ‘loss,’ ‘miss out’ etc.

Envy

“If I don’t make a decision now, my competition will win.”

Jealousy can be channelized positively too. How? A spirit of getting better than others can be an emotional branding strategy and is one of the envious ways to use emotions to sell.

• Share industry reports which come out from time to time. Utilize the criteria used in them to show where your client stands. Some analysts even have a ranking system in place.
• Show the benefits you provide vis-a-vis those which competitors are enjoying. Speak specifically of these benefits, and don’t use vague terms.
• With due permission, use the name of the competitors you’re working with.
• Use words like ‘edge out,’ ‘standout, ‘best in class’ etc.

Pride

“If I make a decision now, I will look smart.”

People attach a lot more personal value with their brand than you might think. Thus, working around your customer’s pride is a crucial part of emotional sales training.

• Show-off the awards and honors of your past clients
• Project benefits in a way that it’ll enhance the customer’s image.
• Offer to feature the company in your marketing collateral or case studies.
• Use words like ‘image,’ ‘reputation,’ ‘prestige,’ and ‘influence.’

Shame

“If I don’t make a decision now, I will look stupid.”

Remember to tread carefully here. Even though no-one wants to feel ashamed, if appropriately used, shame can be a powerful emotional marketing tool.

• Ask who will be to blame if they put off their decision. Show how it negatively affects their employees and customers.
• Allude to past mistakes and how your service will help them prevent those in the future.
• Show the sad consequences of their inaction.
• Use words like ‘disappointment,’ ‘failure,’ ‘mistake’ etc.

Altruism

“If I make a decision now, it will help other people.”

One of the most critical emotional buying triggers is evoking the altruist in your buyers. Show your customers that they’re making a morally responsible choice.

• Talk in terms of the team. Show how taking up your service will help your customer grow as a team.
• Show how their decision will benefit their employees. It can be in terms of saving time or making processes efficient for them.
• Project a greater good for your company, partners and all associates.
• Words like ‘improve,’ ‘accelerate,’ ‘help,’ ‘bigger picture.’ will help.

Conclusion

Emotional connection with customers can be hugely successful. The six ways to use emotions to sell are powerful when combined with the right phrases and understanding of your buyers’ psyche. Find the most powerful marketing words to attract customers from your business domain.

Factors that motivate customers to buy your service extend well beyond rational, calculated considerations. It’s an appeal to the core beliefs of your customers. It’s our emotions which drive decision making. Thus, emotional selling is something you need to master, (or your competitors might rush ahead of you!)