Have you seen the Allstate commercial that encourages teens to refrain from texting while driving? You’ve probably seen the Purina ONE commercial that pulls at the heartstrings with the dog adoption story. These commercials are meant to make an emotional connection with viewers. These are examples of “Marketing with Meaning.” The more meaningful a person finds your message, the more they’ll be willing to purchase your product.
Marketing with Meaning adds value to people’s lives independent of their purchase. It’s marketing that is often more meaningful than the product it aims to sell.
I read an article recently about a realtor who donates a percentage of her closing fees to the charity of her customers’ choice. That’s genius!! Think about it…people with ties to charities are very passionate about that cause.They spend their personal time planning fund-raising events, asking for donations, baking cakes, creating flyers, etc., and know all too well how difficult it can be to reach monetary goals. This realtor cares enough to help that impassioned, caring philanthropic soul.
Also, from a PR standpoint, it’s smart. Most charitable committees have a newsletter -and hopefully a website! I would imagine editors are most willing to publicly thank her through these mediums.
Then, think about the word of mouth accolades she probably receives. Her gesture naturally endears her to her clients, which in turn will give them more reason to recommend her to their friends.
Every company wants to make the most out of their marketing budget. Be creative!! As I said in my last blog titled “Marketing with Meaning,” it’s not politically correct to go out and take up a cause just for your own promotional gain. I’m encouraging you to think along vertical lines. Create something that people find worthy of their time and attention.
How can you grow your brand while creating emotional ties with your prospects and clients?
It should tie together with purpose: ie: the insurance company who promotes “Don’t text and drive,” or the car dealership that offers free safe driving classes when a teen purchases a car; or the plastic surgeon who dedicates a percentage of his earnings to pay for his trip to a third world country to perform surgeries on children with cleft palettes.
Think about some “Marketing with Meaning” ideas that you can offer and email me with your ideas.
