Choose your words wisely for stronger brand connections.

Have you ever watched or read an ad only to immediately forget the advertised product or brand? I know I have.

As marketers, we’re tasked with making memorable brand connections. So, how do we improve our chances of creating content that sticks? In part, it requires using the right words.

         Click here to access a list of the 15 most powerful words in marketing and SEO.

There are also guidelines that can help frame marketing word choices. Below is information summarized from a SalesForce article that details the types of words you can use to drive your brand’s message home and evoke desired emotions from your audience:

Words That Resonate with Consumers. Put things in terms of “you” instead of “I” or “we.” In other words, speak directly to your customers about what they can gain (Value) from doing business with you, rather than explaining what your business does.

Words That Grab Readers’ Attention. Words like “free” and “discount” naturally resonate with customers because they automatically make a purchase look more attractive.

Words That Create a Sense of Fear or Urgency. Some words may convey your message to customers, but don’t really do much to convince them to act. That’s where phrases like “limited time” or “don’t miss out” or “now” come in, tapping into the fear of missing out.

Example: Spotify offers weekly playlists for its active listeners based on their specific tastes and listening habits. The company could create one personalized playlist and update it every so often. But instead, each playlist is only accessible for one week. Then it’s gone. Spotify encourages users to access their weekly playlists based on that fear that they’ll miss out on something great if they don’t.

Words That Promote Exclusivity. If you’re offering a deal specifically to your best customers or to a select number of people, you can use words like “exclusive,” “select,” and “limited” to make an opportunity seem more special. When customers feel like they are valued enough to be granted special access to products and services, they may be more likely to purchase.

American Express is an example of one company that successfully uses this tactic. “Membership has its privileges” and “Are you a Card Member?” are some of its popular taglines. These words create a sense of exclusivity that makes people want to join.

Words That Position Your Brand. Carefully select words that make your brand stand out, either against the competition or to a specific type of consumer (proven, dependable. Depending on the way you’d like to appeal to customers, you can use creative wording to position your brand.

Example: Coca-Cola used to call itself the “Official Soft Drink of Summer.” Is there an official governing body that decides which soda gets to represent summer? No. But by using these words, Coca-Cola paints itself as the only real choice for families who want to enjoy some fun in the sun.

Are there other word rules you’d add to the list? Join the conversation on Shamrock’s Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Make Tangible Brand Connections with Experiential Marketing

More experiences. Less stuff. That pretty much sums up the millennial mindset. Today, more young adults are choosing experiences over possessions…like travel over a new car; or concert tickets instead of designer shoes.

Experiences matter—not only in everyday life, but also in marketing. The rise of experiential marketing gives today’s mobile-driven consumers what they want: A firsthand, engaging and tangible connection with your brand.

Creating these brand experiences is simply smart business: According to data from the Event Marketing Institute, 72% of consumers say they view brands that provide quality experiences more positively, and nearly three-quarters said that when they can engage with a brand's experience, they're more likely to invest in its products or services.

When you consider that 49% of people create mobile video at branded events — 39% of which is shared on Twitter — it makes sense to incorporate subtle branding in a way that can be shared socially to drive recognition beyond the event or experience.

A great example of experiential marketing done right is Google’s Mini Donut Shop experience: To promote the new Google Home Mini automated assistant—which happens to be the size of a donut—Google opened pop-up donut stores in strategic cities. They welcomed visitors inside where they were met by conveyor belts moving donuts and Google Minis throughout the space. When the customer asked the Mini a question, a donut box slid down the conveyor and onto the counter—some boxes contained donuts, and others, the new Google Home Mini. Watch the video:


Google Home Mini Donut Shop

The campaign was a success because it was engaging, unexpected and multi-sensory—there was a “sprinkle” booth that showered customers with confetti. Combining Google and irresistible donuts was a genius idea that created a viral celebration surrounding the brand.
If you can’t go as big as Google with a pop-up store experience, consider borrowing a few of the essential elements from the campaign: Create a non-venue venue (in a park, a neighborhood, a lobby, etc.); create/encourage interaction with your product; provide a giveaway; and create a hashtag to drive social media sharing.

Can you think of an experiential marketing campaign that caught your attention? Join the conversation on Facebook.

Make Tangible Brand Connections with Direct Mail Postcards

If you’re thinking that in today’s digital age, direct mail marketing is dead, think again: Research shows that printed media resonates with consumers:

• 70% of Americans consider physical mail "more personal" than email (Experian Data Quality Group)
• 60% of ad mail recipients will visit the website if it is listed on the ad (Experian Data Quality Group)
• Consumers who receive ad mail spend 28% more than those who don't (USPS)

To gain a greater understanding of how the brain reacts to physical vs. digital mail, the United States Postal Service partnered with the Center for Neural Decision Making at Temple University’s Fox School of Business to gauge responses to physical and digital advertising pieces. Researchers found that:

• Physical ads triggered activity in a part of the brain that corresponds with value and desirability.
• Participants had a stronger emotional response to physical ads and remembered them better.

A physical and tangible media, direct mail is a powerful channel for promoting your brand. Based on
neuro-marketing research in direct mail, the Data and Marketing Association shares these best practices to help guide you in making the most of your next campaign:

Be bold. Humans have an attention span of 8 seconds. Marketing that cuts through the clutter with attention-getting graphics and copy are paramount to success.

Visuals rule. In fact, the brain processes visuals 60,0000 times faster than the time it takes the brain to decode text. Selling your story with pictures and graphics is a must.

Keep it simple. Due to cognitive fluency, the brain craves ease and order. Direct mail that creates a simple decision path with limited copy and explanation always tests better.

As you consider folding direct mail into your integrated marketing mix, remember that research also shows that touch can make a stronger impact that sight or sound alone: Touch has the power to shift the brain into a deeper level of engagement, one more conducive to building lasting knowledge.

This short video from Shamrock designer Deb Smith shows how you can put the power of touch to work in your next direct mail campaign: She features a new clear postcard stock that makes a lasting brand impression and delivers your message in a unique and memorable way by using this clear heavyweight paper with its standout look and tactile feel.

If you’re interested in learning more, connect with me directly at emoriarty@shamrockcompanies.net

Ellen Moriarty