4 Ways to Speak to the Heart of Your Target Audience

It's February, the month of candy hearts, red roses, and emotional cards. In short, love is in the air. However, for many companies across the nation, it’s not love they’re feeling but an opportunity to capitalize on the emotional state of their target audience.

Let’s be honest, love sells. Valentine’s day has become a holiday that everyone can celebrate, not just couples. Now many people are buying presents for family members, friends and even their pets. In fact, in 2016 Valentine’s Day sales hit at an all-time high of $19.7 billion. So why is this such a consumer driven holiday? It stems from one main factor: people purchase with their emotions.

As a brand, do you often wonder how you can connect more effectively with your target audience?

It all begins with your story, preferably one that tugs at, you guessed it, the heart. Let’s take a deeper look at what how you can achieve this.

1. Be Authentic

Connect with your audience by clearing stating who you are and how you differ from everyone else.

Making a positive first impression is the first step to winning your audience over. To make a great impression, you must first find your true voice as a brand; a voice that is consistent, strong, and provides high value. Then, learn to speak in a way that draws your audience in and makes them want to know more.

It is imperative that you tell your story with honesty and transparency. Yes, you're crafting "stories," but they still need to align with your brands vision. Be creative, compelling, and concise. The number one brand killer is confusion about who you are and what you offer.

2. Develop A Strong Vision

Before you start praising your products or services, you need a clear vision of who you are and who your customers are. Defining your target audience is crucial. Ask yourself, who am I speaking to and get as specific as possible. Once that's clear, you can find ways to not only connect with your audience but win them over, creating loyal, brand advocates.

Take Apple for example. They have lines down the street of loyal consumers all waiting to get the newest edition of their products. Apple could be releasing product after product, but they choose to focus on one highly anticipated release at a time. Their brand’s vision is clear: quality over quantity.

If your vision isn’t clear, your story won’t connect to your target audience, and they will search for another brand whose story relates to them in a clear way.

3. Tell a Captivating Story

We’ve all been on the receiving end of a great story—a story that sticks with you. We know that telling a great story requires more than simply relaying what happened. Instead, a good story needs to show the audience what happened rather than tell them. This can be done by fostering creativity, tone, and a shock-and-awe to captivate the audience and encourage a response. Remember, a dispassionate message will never build a tribe of brand enthusiasts.

Take the time to get your brand’s story right, it is worth the investment. Be sure to craft a story that makes an impact, but one that also speaks to the heart.

4. Leave Them Wanting More

Anyone who has ever been in a relationship will tell you that falling in love is easy, but staying in love is the real challenge. The same goes for maintaining a relationship with your consumer. It may be easy to interest new people but what does it take to keep your existing customers happy so they stay committed to you?

Be strategic and make sure your brand’s stories are page turners by making one piece of the story feed off of the next. It’s a balance between giving enough away, while not revealing too much. Remember, this is an ongoing relationship, your journey together is only beginning and there will still be more pages to fill.

Your story can also be told using other platforms, like videos or photos. When executed well, visual stories are extremely effective. Depending on which social media platform you choose to live on as a brand, adding these could be very beneficial. Your goal should be to surround your consumers with several brand experiences, providing multiple ways for them to see what your brand can offer.

In life and in marketing, it is basic human nature to gravitate toward things aimed at the heart. It requires consistent communication with your audience to convey the message that your brand can and will enhance their life. As a brand, you have one story that is unique to you, so make sure it's told well.

We've been told we're pretty good at getting our client's story right. While it's up to our clients to produce great products or services, it's up to us to make sure it’s a compelling read. Contact us today to learn more about our branding services.

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