“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” –Maya Angelou
Not only is this at the heart of all relationships, of great speaking, and chance encounters…
How you make people feel is the heart of great marketing.
Why is feeling at the heart of marketing? Because people will never forget how you made them feel.
And feeling is the deal-breaker when it comes to the Old Brain, the ancient part of us that triggers our behavior.
The Lizard Brain calls ALL the shots, including what to buy.
How do you make people feel?
Do you confer status just by working with you?
Do you make people feel comfortable, cool, special, smart, sexy, thin?
Making people feel is the secret to an unforgettable brand.
It’s also the secret to a thriving business.
How come Google was doing those emotion-driven ads last year?
How come AT&T told us to “Reach out and touch someone”?
How come a big pharmacy chain tells you “We’re open 24 hours, because moms are too”?
How come tire ads have babies in them?
To make you feel.
Google is searching for new sources of revenue.
So they’re making ads based on emotion.
“If we don’t make you cry, we fail,” Lorraine Twohill (VP Global Marketing) said. “It’s about emotion, which is bizarre for a tech company.”
Not really.
Unless we feel…we don’t sign up, buy, or say Yes.
Here are two ways to stand out as a “brand.” A brand that gets attention and makes people feel.
1. STUDY STARBUCKS.
Love it or hate it, Starbucks created a brilliant “brand experience.” They turned a cup of coffee into a café living room with exotic names for “large size.”
When I was speaking in Spain, I got very lost trying to find the bank I wanted.
But there was a Starbucks!
Never mind that I rarely go there in the U.S. I raced in the front door and felt “at home.”
Starbucks is cool, but not so cool that you don’t feel “right at home.”
They don’t intrude. They offer, brilliantly.
You feel safe inviting your friends or business colleagues to meet there.
Every single part of the Starbucks experience has been planned, including the lights showcasing the crumb buns under the counter.
It’s been planned to make you feel.
So you’ll come back.
So…how do people feel when they meet you in person?
Do you dress, stand, and speak like the stunning, powerful brand of You?
How powerful a version of You are you?
A 10? An 8? A 6?
How do people feel in the first two seconds on your website?
2. BRANDS AREN’T FOR EVERY CROWD.
You brand because you want the Right Crowd. Your Crowd.
You want the largest marketshare of the brand that is yours.
Here are some of the world’s Top 100 Brands.
The way you instantly react will tell you if you’re a part of their crowd.
Ready?
Apple Coca Cola
Google McDonald’s
BMW Disney
Toyota Mercedes-Benz
Louis Vuitton Budweiser
Walmart L’Oreal
Nike Pepsi
Amazon American Express
Pampers Sony
Nintendo Ikea
Home Depot Coach
Verizon Rolex
Gucci Hershey
Frito-Lay MTV
UPS Walgreen’s
Facebook ebay
Lancome Target
Gatorade Chanel
Armani Clorox
So.
Who did you love?
Who did you hate?
Who left you cold?
And again, how do you make people feel?
In our next post, we’ll touch on how to be OK with your authentic persona, and what kinds of feelings your crowd wants from you…
So you’re completely unforgettable.
Here’s to you as a stand-out brand!
