Should Your Messaging Appeal To Your Target Audiences' Fears Or Opportunities?

By Perry Rearick, Chief Editor, Follow Your Buyer

A few weeks ago, Jeanette McMurtry joined me as a guest on the Trailblazers, an interview series I do that features interesting thought leaders in business, marketing and sales.

We had an interesting discussion about whether it is better for businesses, with their marketing messages, to appeal to their prospect’s fears or opportunities. We concluded that the answer is both, HOWEVER……!

Jeanette is an advocate of appealing to one’s sense of fear: fear of missing out, fear of loss, fear of the unknown, and many more. As humans, we have many types of fears, and that is her point. Our fears are rooted in our survival DNA and messages that appeal to our fears “get our attention.” And that’s the key take-away, they get the attention of our target audiences so that we can deliver a message of hopeful opportunity.

Try this a-b test in your next email messaging campaign.

Develop one message like you typically do, the ones that begin with a statement all about you and your products and services. Include all the usual taglines about your organization and follow all the communications rules like mentioning your company name at least three times, and it must appear in the first sentence. Yes, we have all had to deal with those rules.

Develop a second message that begins with a statement highlighting a problem that your prospect has, whether they’re aware of it or not. Highlight the cost of the problem and include data to back-up your claim and add a big dose of empathy. Then offer a brief description of a solution to the problem, and then mention your company in the call to action at the end.

Determine which message gained the greatest attention and engagement from your intended target audience.

I hope you have a great week!