The Unparalleled Power of Emotions in Boosting Sales ---

We have heard it all ---

'Sell the sizzle not the steak.'

'People buy on emotion.'

'Emotions sell' ---

--- you know this is true because you have heard it several times and have figured it out. Top copywriters and marketers sell on emotion to increase their sales to unprecedented souring levels.


We understand this from a psychological point of view.

Paint a picture of your prospect enjoying the benefits of your product --- and you make your prospect quiver with desire if he has an urgent problem and desperately needs a solution.

But before I go into details ---

--- let me justify the claim I have made in the headline.

Let me repeat it in another context.

It's true the power of emotions in a sales copy is relatively unparalleled.

Why do I say so?

Advertising research shows that --- a consumer's buying decision is more influenced by emotions than any part of an ad.

For a television ad the ratio of emotions to that of the entire content is 3:1

For a print ad the ratio of influence on consumer decision-making between emotions and the rest of the ad content is 2:1

See the graphic representations in percentage form below.




Fig. 1. Graphic representation of the influence of emotions and that of entire ad content on consumers' buying decisions ( print ad. )




Fig 2. Graphic representation of the influence of emotions and that of entire ad content on consumers' buying decisions ( TV ad.)

In other words you can put all elements of an ad together; they will not beat emotions in influencing buying decisions.

Therefore, ---

--- the power of emotions in selling is justifiably unparalleled.

To solidify this research finding, let us look at another discovery, this time from a neuroscientific point of view.

We can hardly make buying decisions without our emotions.

'That is incredible!'

I hear you talking to yourself.

Well, I couldn't believe it too. So, I embrace your doubts.

Let me explain what changed my perception.

Antonio Damasio is a professor of neuroscience at University of California. He is a recipient of at least 4 prizes and 4 honorary degrees, author of 4 books and numerous research papers in his field

He is a well trained and highly experienced medical doctor.

As you can see he swims in a deep pool of high credibility.

What research findings does he bring to the table?

Stunning research findings

Damasio studied people whose connection between the thinking and emotional areas of the mind had been damaged.

Surprisingly, ---


--- they were capable of processing information logically. They could come up with alternative solutions to a problem BUT failed to make decisions.

Explanation: --- they lacked the' sense of how they felt' about their options. In other words, they didn't have the relevant emotions to enable them make usual preferential decisions.

Without emotions we can hardly make decisions --- including buying decisions.

Therefore, to a marketer, emotions are at least as important as the product she or he sells. Emotions influence buying decisions by about 75% (in some cases) better than the entire ad content ---finely blended with well curved benefits this could go beyond that.

To a marketer, what is your product for if it can't make you money?

Without EMOTIONS you can hardly sell because your prospects find it difficult to make buying decisions


To effectively sell you have to arouse your prospects' dominant emotions.

The ratios in studies cited above and in particular professor Damasio's findings totally and conclusively confirm the unparalleled role of emotions in a sales copy.

If you want more information about this --- visit my blog post.

In it I have more details about decision-making. I discuss how past experiences are released from the subconscious mind. It shows how these cloud the conscious mind and disrupt reasoning. This paves way for preferential and meritorious emotion-driven buying decisions.

But in a sales copy, a copywriter or marketer has to rationalize the emotion-driven decision to drive out buyer's remorse to extinction.