One of the highlights of the Eloqua Experience 2011 this year was the thought-provoking keynote from business author Chip Heath.

The term emotional marketing has been in this marketer’s consciousness for what seems like forever, but it was only during Chip’s 45 minutes when what it really meant sank in. That's when it became a feeling instead of a thought, which, as it turns out, is entirely Chip’s point.

Key to this ‘a-ha’ moment is the image of an elephant and its rider. Both of whom represent just one of your prospects.

So your prospect is both an elephant AND its rider. The elephant represents their emotional response to decision making. The rider is the rational decision maker, who does his or her best to steer the elephant in a sensible direction.

But, in terms of relative size - the emotional side is FAR bigger! When might that matter? Chip gave a couple of examples that really hit home:

1. Your wedding day.

In the eyes of the elephant: true love, a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends, looking gorgeous, and demonstrating your ‘forever’ commitment to that special person.

The ‘rationale’ of the rider is nowhere to be seen: skyscraper wedding costs, a binding contract, and a signing-away of the right to do as you choose, when you choose.

It's probably just as well for the multi-billion dollar wedding industry that the emotional response to that proposal is so huge that the ‘sensible’ over-ride barely registers, if at all.

2. Your determination to diet.

The rider sees the risk of a bar of chocolate and tries to say, "hey, let’s not eat that, it will make us feel bad and will undo all our good work this week." But, the elephant already has the fridge open and is unwrapping that foil and thinking only of how good it will taste.

Motivate the Elephant and Direct the Rider
So in the buying process, it is your job as a marketer to ‘find the feeling’ in your company’s proposition. Make your prospects see and FEEL the need for change.

Use your insight into who your customer is and to what their behavior tells you about their current driver. Many marketing automation techniques and tools will help you truly understand buyer behaviour. And then, use that awareness to really consider what they feel now - to shape what feeling you are offering them to change. It is only then, that you should engage with your prospect.

Talk to the elephant’s senses first. Let them really feel (or taste, or touch) the impact of today’s state and the benefit of change. Then, layer the supporting information or data that will convince the rider it is also a rational decision. Don’t lead with facts and figures – or speeds and feeds – until that elephant’s vision is already heading towards yours and you have the rider’s full attention.

In the emotional vs. rational marketing arena, data shapes the feeling. But, that feeling has a far larger impact on our bottom line than we may have ever imagined.

See? We told you it was going to be emotional!

Bluewolf’s marketing effectiveness practice helps combines experience-based marketing strategy with industry-leading marketing automation technology to help organizations engage with prospects more effectively.

Already considering or using Eloqua for marketing automation? Contact us with any questions.