I was chatting with a colleague the other day, Tad Hargrave - a Marketing Mentor to conscious green business-owners, who said to me: "I'm starting to wonder if people only feel inclined to purchase because there's a problem to solve...Because they're in pain"
I took a moment, and replied, "Well, I think people also buy from joy. It's not always pain driving the decision."
As I walked away I thought about this more, since most marketing tactics prey on our weaknesses, pain, and discomfort.
Pain is a powerful tool, often used in marketing to get people to buy. Science has proven that emotional pain registers as physical pain in the brain, and physical pain is so powerful - that it takes all your focus and energy away from anything else.
It's like if you have a migraine - that's what you're focused on. It's going to be pretty impossible to work on your upcoming project when all your energy is focused on managing the pain.
The same is true when you're dealing with emotional pain in your business or life. It could be the pain of confusion and needing help to clarify your niche. It could be the pain of feeling stuck, and not knowing how to leave your current job to move towards your dream career, or it could be the pain of not knowing how to design your website-so you decide to hire a pro.
Pain is a strong motivating factor.
Sales and marketing tactics often hit your pain points in order to give you a sense of urgency to buy their product or service.
But there's another way:
Think about all the times you purchase out of joy. For example, I'll often get an Americano out of joy. I love coffee-and I'm not even talking about the caffeine boost. Even if it's a decaf, I love the taste of it. There isn't a pain I'm trying to get rid of, rather it's about adding joy.
Here's another example. I love to travel. I especially love to fly. When I purchase a flight to go somewhere it's out of joy. It's not that I'm feeling pressured and in pain from my circumstances. Most of the time I decide to take a mini vacation to add more joy to my life.
Another example: I recently attended an incredible workshop with intuitive counselor Hannelore. I wasn't in pain of feeling confused or feeling like I needed to figure anything out. Rather my decision to attend was out of a place of joy: I had attended a previous workshop of hers; I enjoyed her teaching style, and knew that I wanted more of it. The decision came from joy.
These three examples range from small purchases to large ones - but all were prompted from joy.
I've also purchased from a place of pain. I've had times where I felt I needed a way out of my circumstances, and the pain was so strong I was seeking guidance through a course or program to help me navigate my way out.
In those instances - the pain helped me press the buy now button, but the purchase didn't always solve the problem. And that can make it worse.
Conversely, when I buy from joy - I'm already coming from a high-vibration place and the experience ends up richer and more enjoyable.
When I buy from joy I have less expectations. There's nothing wrong. Nothing to fix. It's about adding more good onto the good.
The outcome: Buying from joy leads to more joy.
Versus - when I buy from pain - especially if I've been unconsciously manipulated into buying because pain-marketing tactics were used on me - if my pain is not resolved, I'll likely be a little pissed-off at the false promises, and there's a chance I'll be in even more pain and trouble than when I started.
The outcome: pain-focused marketing can lead to a bad result because the expectations are high.
The bottom line:
If there's a way to market your programs, products, and services in a way that elevates somebody to have more joy in their life - and that the buying decision is coming from a place of joy, the chances of your customer being happy are higher.
And here's the thing: everything can be marketed from either angle: joy or pain. Adding or removing.
Sure, you can share both angles, but the ultimate question is: where will you place the core focus?
The truth is people will often buy for a bit of both reasons. And everything can be sold from either angle:
For example you can state "Buy my wellness program and stop living in the pain of not being able to button up your favorite jeans" or you can market it "Buy my wellness program to double your energy and add a spring to your step."
Both strategies work: the question is where do you want to put the focus?
What do you think?
Do you find you buy more out of pain or joy?
And how would you rather be marketed to-from a place of urgency to remove your pain and get your problem solved, or from a place of joy and uplifting your life to the next level?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one. Please share in the comments below.
Tova Payne is a writer and consultant based out of Vancouver BC. She offers a free E-guide on the 5 Keys to Start & Finish Your Projects and a Meditation Audio to create clarity in your work. Receive your gift by signing up at www.tovapayne.com