By Bryan Mann-Entzel: >Greater Thought Founder, Creative Lead, Strategist, and Brand Storyteller
When it comes to what we provide to our clients, we get this question quite frequently – “How do you differentiate what you do?” It may not be those exact words, but it is always some variation of that such as ‘What is your secret sauce’, or ‘how do you drive interest’?
The short answer that most people want to hear is that we look for ways to tell the stories that define our clients’ value proposition, and that align with what their prospective customers or clients are looking for. But that all sounds like marketing speak. Let’s take a closer look at a few ways >Greater Thought does what we do, as a way of demonstrating this concept.
What is Emotional Equity in Marketing?
In marketing, emotional equity refers to the deep, affective bonds that brands cultivate with their consumers, transforming casual buyers into loyal customers and brand advocates. It’s about establishing an authentic and trusting connection that goes beyond just the product or service itself, according to Anthem Branding.
In essence, emotional equity helps brands go beyond merely selling products or services, allowing them to forge deeper, more meaningful connections with their target audience, ultimately leading to greater customer loyalty, brand advocacy, and business success.
Driving Decision Making Through Emotional Equity
Before we do, however, we should also make a point to say, this is all rooted in decades of experience as marketers, designers, content writers, researchers, and observers. There is a lot of psychology and sociology that goes into this type of work.
Understanding people’s decision-making processes and understanding the social and economic factors that surround this is part of the job. This is where emotional equity comes into play.
Understand the Marketplace and Market Conditions
Every project and every new client relationship that we take on includes a discovery and strategy session. This often ends up being 1/3 of the entire project together, and it is hugely critical because this is our opportunity to get to know your business intimately enough for us to do work that accurately represents you. It is part gut check, and part refinement.
It is not unusual for our work to uncover important nuggets of information that later become the real change-maker. In these two phases, we do a comprehensive round of research to understand the marketplace that your business operates in (Ex. imported coffee/coffee roaster), the market conditions, your business as it exists today, target audience(s), and the competitive landscape.
By taking note of these areas and drawing your knowledge out, it paints a full picture of what we have to work with. It also helps to define any problems or challenges that you are working to solve, which then enables us to help you define goals for the work and beyond.
Look for the Clear Space
Once we have defined the strategy, and with a full view of your marketplace and its competition, we look for clear space for your brand.
While many companies spend their days chasing their competition, it can be a fool’s errand, as the saying goes. Our approach is to help you define what makes you unique.
By doing this, you are telling your customers what kind of experience they can expect working with you, or shopping with you. It is more personalized and frees you up from the “us too” chase, which can have you perpetually in a reactionary, second or third place spot in the race.
Think for a moment if you are a small coffee roaster and competing on price is not possible compared to the big producers. Talking about the origin of your beans, having unique flavor profiles, being roasted locally, freshness, and supporting local producers are compelling reasons that can align with buyers’ value systems. Customers may be willing to pay more to support ethics and causes that they find value in.
Tell a Meaningful Story with Words and Images
Once we have determined the key messages and decided the best way(s) to position your company in a unique manner, we start building content.
Buzzwords, correct images, color choices, and planning a content calendar, or content matrix, really help to bring all of this work to life. Each one of these exercises is different, but we approach them in a way that tells little stories, that gives a ‘feeling’ or a ‘vibe’. In the end, these concepts, mood boards, brand boards, or style guides form a framework for building and replicating the work against.
If you are a home builder, images like beautiful finishes, family enjoying the yard, celebrating a birthday, someone enjoying a book in a comfy spot, or a baby playing on the floor start to paint the picture of the life that can be lived in that house.
It is that framework of colors, textures, furnishings, and everyday living that shows customers that this might be the life they want, too. Then, you pair that with things like ‘maintenance-free exteriors, energy efficiency, building a family legacy, lake life, entertaining with ease, and a home that can grow with you’ – and you have the makings of a story. These are the start of the triggers that make people take note.
Lean Into Emotional Triggers
When we, as marketers develop work for our clients, we are often tugging on one of two heartstrings; things that carry nostalgia, and things that people aspire to.
First, nostalgia is the thing of legends. Think Coca-Cola during the holidays, Patagonia’s focus on nature preservation, and almost any tourism campaign. The message is designed to bring you back to past experiences, and invite you to re-experience them, make new memories, or blaze new trails. This is also the cross-over point to the aspirational messages.
Nike’s Just Do It campaign, almost any automotive commercial, and the fashion and beauty industry’s perpetual trendiness invite us to imagine ourselves in a new way.
There are so many examples, it would be impossible to recount them all, but they all aim at tripping emotional triggers to convince us to buy. This can all be summarized as (investing emotionally), emotional equity, or earned equity. These brands have honed their message to help us understand how they can enhance our lives.
This does not have to be a self-serving crusade, either. Every day, our needs change a little bit. Perhaps you need a bigger home or one that offers one-level living. Maybe you are looking for better-for-you foods and ingredients. You might be planning a trip and want to figure out the best place to get some of your gear, from a place that is local and knowledgeable.
Or perhaps you’re looking for a company that puts all of its cards on the table and is honest and transparent. This is all based on emotional equity, and it is up to the viewer to decide if this aligns with their beliefs and priorities.
Be Different
By driving decision-making through emotional equity, businesses like yours can answer questions beyond the superficial. This place sells cars… but do you trust them? Do you understand the value they bring? And, do you want to proceed with them?
The end goal of this type of work is to foster growth and sales. There are many ways to accomplish that, but for companies and brands looking to remain unique and defined by a particular experience, this is a powerful tool when leveraged by an experienced team.
Want to talk with >Greater Thought about how this might work for your business? Let’s connect and take a mindful look at how we could partner together.