France… Venezuela… The UK… there have been more than a few big elections dominating the headlines in 2024, but there’s a BIG one still to come.
The USA.
Now, this isn’t a political rant, don’t worry (I have strong opinions… but they’re mine… and you’ll have yours… and that’s fine!).
At this stage in the election cycle, most people have already made their decision anyway, and there’s very little anyone can say or do to change hearts and minds set as strong as stone.
So, year after year, the results of the election come down to just a handful of “swing states” and a few million undecided voters and their choice over which candidate to pick for president.
Billions of dollars are being spent to inspire just a few million people to act.
And that’s when a direct appeal to emotion will often come in.
Fear of job losses and a recession…
Anger at the opposition for being the bad guys/girls.
Positioning their party and their policies as the only obvious solution to the current problems faced in people's day-to-day lives.
This emotional manipulation is so frequent that we simply accept it and may not even notice it when it is happening in front of our eyes.
And it’s the same in marketing.
Emotion is a key driver of sales, and it's everywhere.
It’s often said that we buy with emotions and justify with logic—and this is true for me, and I bet it is for you, too.
But out of all the emotions we feel in our lives, not all of them are created equal when it comes to securing that sale.
So which ones are the most important? What emotional triggers come into play? Which strings can you pull to get people to buy?
Well, some of the best marketing brains have pondered on that very question.
Copywriting legend Drayton Bird highlighted 7 Key Emotions that lead people to act—either to pick a party, vote for a candidate, or buy what you’re selling.
Knowing this and incorporating them in your marketing, you can make your copy much more persuasive.
So, here they are... brace yourself… it’s about to get a tad emotional around here…
Anger or a sense of injustice.
Throwing rocks at your enemy has long been a staple in the marketer’s armory.
Can you position your product as righting a wrong or fighting against the bad guy? Do that, and you can inspire an army of loyal advocates to flock to your banner and fight for your cause.
Guilt
Selling life insurance? Looking for donations for your charitable cause? Trying to persuade people not to end their subscription after they click that “cancel” button?
Guilt can be a powerful way to tap your customer’s wallet, but use it with caution. Get it wrong, and it can backfire badly.
Exclusivity
It won’t take long to spot examples of this one in the wild…
From frequent flyer programs to VIP deals, positioning your product (or your customers) as a cut about the rest is such an effective play to get people to purchase.
Greed
More money. More clients. More power.
There’s no surprise that one of the 7 Deadly Sins appears in this list.
Like it or not, we live in consumer-centric community, and most marketing wouldn’t exist without a little bit of greed to play on.
Fear
Of missing out. Of losing out. Of making a bad choice.
Last few remaining! Doors close in just a few hours! Don’t settle for less! It’s a marketing tale as old as time...
Flattery
Because You’re Worth It.
The Smart Choice In Tyres
Good things come to those who wait.
Flattery really will get you everywhere, and to get people to part with their cash, sometimes, you just have to roll out the big guns.
Salvation
The ultimate problem-solving emotion.
If your product solves a problem that’s real, painful, and powerful, people will move heaven and earth to buy from you.
So there you have it—heady stuff, right?
Now, reading this list might make you see marketing in a bad light.
Almost as bad as politics.
After all, most of these emotions feel a little negative… a little sleazy, and maybe a little manipulative.
But if you truly care about the people you serve, and you sell a product that can really make a difference in their lives, well, don’t you owe it to your customers to prompt them to act?
If your party and your policies are good for the people, the country, and the world, isn’t it right to persuade people to cast a vote for you and not the other side?
Am I just flattering you to make you feel better about using emotion in your copy?
Maybe.
These 7 Key Emotions are pretty powerful… and with great power comes great responsibility.
Choose wisely.