Sell Feelings Not Facts

In his book The World Is Flat, Thomas Friedman stated that in the 21st century "it doesn't matter what you know - it only matters what you feel." With social media and its vastness of networks, this statement has never been truer.

In the modern world we are thrown at facts every day that we can research to our hearts content. And yet studies show that emotion sells better than fact. As consumers our information is no longer coming from an expert with a PhD – it's coming from the experts at advertising agencies with their Ivy League degrees and their multicolored polo shirts.

What do facts mean anymore? Everything is up for sale. If you have some facts they may already be sold to another company or product. This means that you have to give your buyer something that she cannot buy anywhere else. This is where the marketing brain comes into play: what do I sell her?

Many people say, "I am not the product" because they feel like facts and information should come from a place of knowledge and potential. But we can't get away from the fact that people are more emotional than ever.

So how can we buy without facts? There are two ways: through feelings and through beliefs. One needs to use both when selling.

Let's look at feelings and how they are sold. Many companies have feelings as their logos or mascots. How do you sell feelings? The same way you market any other product.

People want to buy things that make them feel like they are saving money, getting a deal, or enhancing their lives in some way. They are more willing to pay more for something that will make them feel a certain way. So instead of saying, "here is the facts about my product" tell the story of how you got your amazing facts and the amazing journey it has taken to get them there.

Conclusion