We’ve all heard about the Placebo Effect. It’s most often used to describe a perceived or actual improvement after treatment that in and of itself has no therapeutic value. It’s when a belief creates a result where no clear cause and effect relationship exists. One lesson the Placebo Effect teaches us is that our perceptions can drive our reality: for example, a “sugar pill” causing a reduction in blood pressure.

What we learn from the Placebo Effect is that there is more involved in creating results (i.e. effects) than the facts or the science. Facts, tangible/measurable events alone, do not create outcomes. There is an intangible, emotional factor that helps create outcomes. This lesson can be applied to your business.

Buyers make decisions based on emotion not on facts alone. Why do you choose the car you choose? Why do you decide to do business with one person and not another? Why does the luxury market exist – and thrive? Facts – unlikely. Do you need the facts? Most definitely. But research shows we make decisions emotionally.

How are you creating an emotional appeal for your buyer? How are you filling the space left open once the facts are consumed? Whether you do this, and how you do this, supports and grows your brand. If buyers believe, based on your brand, that you provide high quality, personalized and caring service, that’s how you will be perceived. That’s how your reputation will develop. The facts most definitely should support your brand, but the buying decision will be made on that intangible – perceived value.

In this week’s Quick Tips, we will provide some ideas and examples of how you can create an emotional appeal for your buyers.

Copyright 2011 Kubica and LaForest

This entry was posted on Monday, May 30th, 2011 at 5:26 am and is filed under Brand Building. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.