When you first launched your brand, was the aim to make lots of money? Or was something else driving your decisions? Although a focus on profits is central to brand survival, the reason for the creation of new products and services is usually far deeper than this. It may be about providing a service you’re passionate about, an urge to create something new or a desire to offer something better than what’s currently out there. With that in mind, why are so many businesses still campaigning with the same old story: please buy this thing from us?
You’re probably going about it the wrong way
When launching your latest campaign, it’s easy to provide what you think everyone wants: something professional, high-cost and amazing. While that sounds somewhat mechanical, it seems like the right answer – but is it the most effective? Remember that you’re selling your product or service to humans, not machine-driven entities. Therefore, using your campaign to appeal to this human side might be a better option. By creating relatable content that tells a human story, you will find it easy to capture – and keep – your audience’s attention.
An example from a big-ish brand
Sony has been struggling for quite some time to transfer its success from the general technology industry to the mobile device industry. However, the organisation did have overwhelming success a few years ago when they invested in an incredible marketing campaign for the Xperia Z3 series. They captured people’s imaginations by personifying their products. Campaign messaging included: “I can survive underwater”, “I can see in the dark” and “I can stay awake for days”. By making the device an extension of the human who owned it, they succeeded in telling a story that appeals to our human side. Wouldn’t we all love to survive under water, see in the dark and stay awake for days?
Finding the personal edge
There’s no doubt that coming up with a creative way to market your service or product can be challenging – that’s why there are entire industries dedicated to doing just that! However, a good place to start is by contemplating how your service or product improves your customers’ lives. Perhaps you are helping a business to build a strong reputation, or you’re making an individual’s life just that little bit easier. No matter the angle you take, make sure that it is personal and part of the human story in one way or another. Don’t forget that evoking emotions is more likely to convert customers than anything else. If you’re deciding between several options, go with the one that makes people feel something.
If you’re still stuck for ideas, why not ask yourself what makes your company different? Perhaps there are people out there who appreciate the fact that your company is different in some way, and they can identify with you for this reason. Don’t forget to put all your ideas down and then make a plan for actioning the best ones.
As always, we love hearing what you think, so please drop us a line if you have any thoughts or comments about this topic!