The Power of Emotion

How To Move From Need To Want

When people buy from a place of need, they are more price-conscious. However, when they buy from a place of want, price does not matter. In addition, most of their peer group has the product, and they want it more. Then there's the matter of feeling safe and secure. Products that hit all three aspects are winners.

The car test

This truth is most easily illustrated by looking at the driveways in middle-class subdivisions. The majority of the residents have jobs, are married, and have children. Thus, they need a car. Not only that, they need a vehicle large enough to transport the family. Logic would dictate that most save up and buy a used minivan. However, in front of the majority of homes, the vehicles are much bigger and nicer than that.

Affordability myth

If buyers considered affordability, credit card companies would go out of business. Affordability is only an issue for products that just meet a need. Once the product goes beyond need and triggers the "I want this," the price does not matter. For example, inside most middle-class homes, there is a giant television, high-end appliances, and rooms they never use.

Cycling, golf, and shotguns

Those who regularly ride bikes, play golf, and shoot sporting clays spend tremendous amounts of money on the tools of their sport. Visit rural communities, and someone in a rundown home will pull out a guitar worth thousands of dollars. The point is that people spend money on the things that make them happy.

But what about B2B

Have you ever attended a company dinner or golf outing or planned an office upgrade? The point is that people buying stuff they do not need at home do the same for their work. If they are not buying from you, you are not providing what they want. I have been there and took the advice that you can't just keep hitting your head against a wall and saying it hurts. Eventually, you have to stop and come up with another product.

It's emotional

Trained as an engineer, it isn't easy to realize that buying is based on emotions and not logic. People buy on emotion and then use logic to justify the purchase. The same skill set that builds great code will not serve to sell that code. Instead, the code, machine, service, or whatever must evoke positive feelings in the buyer.

Lakehouse

People buy houses on the lake to see the water from their living room. My parents vacation at the beach to see the ocean from the condo or hotel room. These places evoke positive emotion, which is why such property is so much more expensive than even houses across the street. Outside of incredible views, homes are bought on what agents call "curb appeal." What that really means is the emotion created as the homeowner pulls into the driveway.

Selling dreams

Guy Kawasaki, former Chief Evangelist for Apple, sold Steve Jobs's dream. No one at Apple discussed processor speed, memory, or any technical aspect of the computer. Instead, they built an experience that generated happiness. Before the Macintosh, many people did not understand how to use a personal computer. However, the beloved Mac made computing fun.

Hope this helps,

Todd Moses (CEO)

Let me know your thoughts: [email protected]