"Should
You Market to Pleasure ... Or Pain?"
by Alexandria Brown
One day a few months ago, I emptied my mailbox after
being away for several days.
Because I give regularly to charities, I seem to be on
the mailing lists of every organization in the world.
So there were plenty of solicitations to sort through.
Usually I toss most of the envelopes I receive, the
ones with generic messages on them like "help us
today" or "give to save the... [insert
'children', 'animals', or 'forests' here]".
But one envelope caught my eye. It was an unusual
beige color, it had a picture of a cute little dog on
it, and it said in bold letters, "Don't let what
happened to Coco happen again."
Because I was curious who Coco was and what happened
to him, I opened the envelope.
The letter told a true story of animal abuse so
horrific that I burst into tears for that poor little
dog. It ended by explaining how I could help prevent
this from happening to other animals by donating to
their organization.
I can tell you I never whipped
out my checkbook so fast in my life.
But why this time?
Why had I ignored all the other mailings that simply
asked for my help?
Because this one made me FEEL.
It told me a shocking true story. It struck a deep
nerve in me that brought out my rage regarding this
topic. Suddenly it was personal, because it touched on
my pain.
You see, all marketing plays on either pleasure or
pain.
It seems to me that most marketing plays on pleasure.
For example, cosmetic companies show women how
gorgeous and young we could look if we only used their
products. Car companies show us how sexy and powerful
we'd feel if we buy that sports car we can't afford.
And beer companies convince men that they'll magically
attract gorgeous females if they only drink a certain
beverage.
But...
Sometimes
"Pain" Works Better
Some businesses will do BETTER by marketing to
people's pain. For example, a TV commercial for a
financial planning service shows a couple arguing over
money while their children listen from the other room,
looking scared. An acne medication ad shows a teenage
girl staying home from the prom, crying because she's
got a few pimples.
And if you think about it, most of us don't take
action on things until we feel pain. For example, a
friend of mine didn't take control of his finances
until he was nearly bankrupt. And a couple I know
didn't hire a marriage counselor until they were ready
to split for good. My sister didn't look for a better
job until she couldn't stand the one she was in
anymore.
So, follow along with me here...
Are your prospects more likely to actually buy your
product or hire you based on wanting pleasure ... or
to move AWAY from their pain?
For example, a dating coach may have more success in
her marketing with statements like, "Are you sick
and tired of sitting home lonely on Friday nights?
Attracting the wrong men for you again and again? The
clock is ticking - have you met Mr. Right yet?"
The idea is to touch on people's pain, then show them
that you're the solution.
Another example is an auto repair shop that marketed a
free report, "10 Ways Not to Get Ripped-Off Next
Time You Get Your Car Fixed". Not only did that
touch on most folks' fear of getting ripped off, but
it also positioned them as an authority on the
subject!
For those of us who are naturally positive people,
marketing to others' pain may seem initially
uncomfortable. But you're doing them a favor! By
helping them realize what's wrong in their lives,
their businesses, or the world, you're also showing
them how they can fix it. You're actually helping them
"see the light".
Marketing to people's pain can make for dramatic
results when done right.
What
State of Mind Are YOUR Prospects In?
Think about your target market right now. What state
of mind are they in when they are considering hiring
you or buying your product? Are they more likely to
take action to gain pleasure? Or to make the pain
they're in go away?
If the answer is different than what you've been
doing, try changing the angle of your marketing for a
while.
You may find that a little pain is the best thing that
ever happened to your business. : )
WANT TO
USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this complete blurb
with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown
publishes the award-winning 'Highlights on Marketing
& Success' weekly ezine with 28,000+ subscribers.
If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make
more money, and have more fun in your small business,
get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com
Alexandria K. Brown-EZINE
QUEEN
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the
award-winning 'Highlights on Marketing & Success' weekly
ezine with 28,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to
jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more
fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now by Clicking
Here.
