Today, almost everyone has something to sell online, and it’s obvious that not everyone can succeed. Even if the market is booming, competition is fierce. No matter what niche you’re in, and no matter what profiles you’re targeting, it’s clear that you can’t get very far if you can’t differentiate yourself from the next-door neighbor at exactly the same price. So how do you differentiate yourself from the competition? Playing on emotion seems to be one possible avenue, and it would be a mistake not to explore it. Find out more below.
I thought a nice, technically state-of-the-art site was enough?
I’m the first to say it over and over again: yes, you need a perfect site, with a design that’s pleasing on computers as well as smartphones and tablets, quality photos, fast loading times, good SEO, positive customer reviews, and so on. But that’s not all. And that’s the problem with some online stores. Yes, you won’t get very far if you don’t have the bare minimum in terms of quality, but your brand must also have a soul and an identity of its own. And that means incorporating emotions into your branding and storytelling. And yes, that’s easier said than done.
How to differentiate through emotion?
Playing on emotions is nothing new, and it doesn’t date back to the Internet. Coca Cola already understood this when it decided to sponsor the soccer World Cup. By associating its brand with an emotionally powerful event, Coca Cola no longer appeals solely to the mind. Now, when you’re a smaller company than Coca Cola, how do you associate your brand with big emotional moments? Not so simple, but that’s why it’s so important to devote a substantial part of your budget to marketing and branding. It’s easy enough to read up on the subject and take part in conferences in the language of Shakespeare, but it’s quite rare in French.
Associate your brand with strong, positive emotions
To differentiate through emotion, it’s essential to incorporate positive emotions into your storytelling. Playing on fear may work to get certain deals, but it doesn’t necessarily leave a good long-term image (besides, it’s better to play on the notion of scarcity than on fear). And a good long-term image is what you need to get regular orders. It’s true that you have to play on emotions, but it’s all for nothing if you don’t measure your results. So, to differentiate yourself through emotion, are there any ready-made recipes? No, but you can test and refine them as you go along, if you start incorporating them into your strategy now.
