What motivates someone to purchase a product or use a service?
Think about your most recent purchase. Consider the promotion that led you to hand-over your earnings.
Freelance copywriter and author, Bob Bly introduced me to a concept in one of his articles. A colleague revealed [in his opinion] that people don’t necessarily care about the idea of being…say, a millionaire or even making six-figures.
Really – the driving force is…a certain kind of life-style…living life on their terms. Money is simply a means to an end.
Of principle, Bly adds…
“…marketers who simplistically trumpet “get rich” in their ads are making a mistake. Instead of selling the obvious benefit, they could be reaching their prospects on a deeper and more powerful level.”
Here’s an example, according to Bly. Historically, career-training institutions would focus their marketing approaches on graduates making lots of money.
One ad featured an actual student standing next to his new Jaguar. What the ad failed to mention, Bly observes, was that this particular student bought the luxury auto with money he won in a personal injury lawsuit, not with money earned as result of the institution’s training.
New ads have a different focus, he notes. They feature interviews with now gainfully employed students…but they don’t talk about money.
Instead, one of the graduates talks about the pride his kids show when they see him leave the house for work every day wearing a suit and tie. Another student reveals the rewarding overseas business trips his company sends him on. He talks excitedly about his love of travel, the new foods, the diverse cultures, and new people his career enables him to meet. He’s joined in the commercial by his mother who glows about how proud she is of her son.
Bly referred to this deeper level of marketing as “life-style promotions.” It’s the appeal to what truly drives most of us to buy products or use services. The what’s-in-it-for-me answer is in many ways a shift in HOW we live more than it is merely about having money.
The persuasive element? It’s all about lifestyle!
The key…?
>>Whatever business or service niche you are in – connect it to life<<
Here’s a couple of insights into choosing words that give *life* to your promotions. First… >Shift your marketing copy into *reverse*.
>Instead of leading – as is typical – with the product, launch your wording around the lifestyle or the lifestyle benefits your target market desires.
Listen to *life* that’s happening in-and-around your business/service and the *lives* of your customers/clients. How does your product or service impact their *lifestyle* (at any level)? When you’ve made a list…you’re ready to write your copy (before creating a product).
Next…
>>Drive your product/service *forward* with copy instead of driving your copy with the product/service.
Write a persuasive lifestyle promotion about a product/service you haven’t rolled out yet (yes, you read that correctly). When you’ve tested the promotion’s selling-appeal (by actually placing it in front of your market) and found it’s effective (meaning interest is gained…order inquiries roll-in) THEN develop the product. Risky, yes! But…now who’s in the driver’s seat?
Lifestyle appeal works in a good (or bad) economy! The promise of a different, and perhaps better, lifestyle will drive your products and services forward…profitably!