It’s the beginning of the month here in Buffalo, New York. In my world, that means two things …
First, I treat my thirsty succulents to a swig of water. Second, Wylie picks out a reward for his solid performance in school.
This discretionary monthly prize isn’t just about my son keeping his grades up. It’s also based on how he manages all aspects of his school life. In short, the more he can do for himself, the less I need to be involved.
I’m sure he would do just fine without the carrot on a stick. But a little extra motivation goes a long way if I no longer have to check homework.
So, what does the unemployed thirteen-year-old who has everything want these days?
Cologne, of course.
Say what you want about having a catch in the backyard. Real father-son memories are made in the fragrance aisle of Sephora, holding a dozen sample sticks between your fingers like a pair of Wolverine claws.
When I asked about his new obsession with cologne on the drive home, he instantly came back with …
“It makes me feel more confident.”
This got my attention. Not the “confident” part—the “feel” part.
That meant there was an emotion tied to the purchase. It revealed that a spritz or two before heading out had more to do with swagger than scent.
This was hardly a surprise since we make all our decisions based on emotion. But it was also further evidence that …
The logical answer is always wrong.
To prove it out, let’s start with the question: Why do we buy perfume or cologne?
Logic tells us it’s because we want to smell good. But that’s not the real reason. Because you can simply do that with a bar of soap and a little elbow grease.
That’s why you need to dig deeper—to go beyond the logical, rational explanation until you crack the emotional code behind a buying decision.
In Wylie’s case, it’s feeling more self-assured when stepping into the unholy jaws of adolescence. And I promise you there’s an emotional reason why your customers buy, too.
You just have to keep looking for answers when your brain insists on stopping at the logical one.
Rory Sutherland, vice chairman of Ogilvy, tells us:
“If you want to change people’s behavior, listening to their rational explanation for their behavior may be misleading, because it isn’t the ‘real why.’ … The best way to encourage or prevent a behavior is to attach an emotion to it.”
This comes from his book Alchemy – The dark art and curious science of creating magic in brands, business and life. And it’s loaded with examples of non-logical reasons for why we brush our teeth, go out to eat, and clean up after our dogs.
But I’m not here to sell you books today.
Instead, I want to suggest an unusual way to start your next marketing meeting …
Ask the dumb question.
That question is: “Why would somebody buy our [insert product or service]?” And I’m calling it dumb because to you, the answer is obvious.
But it still may not be the “real why.”
If that’s the case, talk to your customers. But don’t just listen to what they say. Pay more attention to what they feel.
That’s where the gold is.
Here’s a song to play you out >>>
See you next time. — Matt
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