We’ve all read about emotional marketing--appealing to consumers’ values or beliefs to evoke a response. In fact, we at AMi have even written about it in this blog. The idea is to get your readers, your listeners, to FEEL something and then act.
The real question, though, is what do you feel? When you sit down to write the copy for your promotion, are you as connected to your material, to your product or service, or to your offer as you expect your target audience to be? If you’re not, your text may sound insincere, overly dramatic, or simply disconnected.
How can you prevent this from happening? Look at the offer from your audience’s perspective. Don’t just look at the customer data. Imagine your customers are your neighbors, your good friends. What would you say to them? What tone would you use? What words or stories or examples would you give to convince them that you can help solve a personal problem or that they can contribute to solving a bigger, more global problem?
Getting your head in the “helping” mindset instead of the “selling” mindset may help keep your copy more realistic and less dramatic, more specific and understated instead of broad and overstated. It may help you strike just the appeal you’re reaching for: a heartfelt one.