Change terminology. Shift mindset. Drive Profit.
Most businesses start their business with a passion to help people. They have a product, service, project, event or an idea that is going to make somebody’s life easier, nicer, prettier or just plain better. There is energy, vitality and buckets of hope.
They start with love. Then they plan for war.
Suddenly their customer who they have lovingly imagined enjoying their product, has a target on their back with an arrow going right through them. (If you really picture that – ouch that would hurt!) When the “target market” is ‘nailed’ they move on to “tactics”. (Which is an equally unpleasant visual.) I don’t want the brands I love and support to think of me as a target who won’t buy before I have an arrow right through me! And you shouldn’t either.
Semantics maybe. But try this on for size:
What if your target market becomes “your people, your crew, your neighbourhood”. Doesn’t that warm things up a whole bunch and make it easier to say the meaningful things you want to say to them? Isn’t it much easier to rally “your people” than rally people with a target on their back?
If this is all sounding a bit too hipster for you and you are reaching for your “All you need is Love” LP take a look at the science. Famous neuroscientist Antonio Damasio was able to prove that the majority of our decisions are based on our emotions, not on logical reasoning. That’s a game changing fact for marketers. Remove the target, put down that arrow, and start making emotional connections.
Give the love, to get the love.
The kind of love that goes beyond reason and builds life long brands.
