.webp)
Trying to sell the features of a product just doesn’t cut it when it comes to consumers. While they might think they make purchasing decisions based on logic and practical benefits, the truth is that what consumers feel (even subconsciously) has a much greater impact on whether they choose your product over your competitor’s. Put simply? Humans are just not as logical as we like to think. We’re driven by feelings, emotions, and whims.
Ask yourself: Why do you find yourself going back to Nike again and again, when there are plenty of worthwhile alternatives on the market, whose products do the exact same thing? Is it because that amazing Nike ad made you cry? Made you feel empowered? Gave you chills? That’s what you need to be doing to promote your brand. Selling a feeling.
The subconscious, human part of decision making is what will get your product through the online checkout (alongside some quality UGC, of course). So, to do this right, you’re going to need to solve the problem your customer has.
Let’s take it back to basics. Ask yourself, who would want this product and why would they want it?
Take a skin care brand, for example. When you promote your clay mask with the matching brush, are you selling the product, or are you selling a pathway to clear, glowing skin that in turn improves their confidence?
Image courtesy of @bambibushwhacked.
For a tea or vitamin product, are you selling the powder, capsule or tea bag or are you selling the consumption benefits of this item, such as a greater sense of wellbeing or increased energy, so they can face the day?
Image courtesy of @morgankatehill.
Think of it like this: You’re selling to people who are looking for a solution to a problem they have, not a specific product.
Showing your audience how your brand offers emotional benefits and solutions – rather than pushing the physical or obvious features and elements of your product – is a surefire way to ensure a deeper, longer lasting connection to your customer, as they will begin to associate a (positive) feeling with your brand and by extension, the product itself.
So, the next time you introduce a new product to the market, take a moment to think. Ask yourself: does the purpose of my product solve a problem for our target market? Am I making them feel better, happier or more confident? Asking these questions (and more) will help you get to the root of what you’re really offering your customers, and thus help you to communicate it more effectively in the long run. Good luck!