Think about all the products and services you buy throughout the year. Were any of these purchases really memorable for you? If they were, chances are the company you were buying from appealed to you on an emotional level. The ads they use, the staff they employ, the packaging they incorporate, and the follow up they have in place are all designed to target and reinforce the underlying emotional reason for your purchase. Take for example, the rash of beauty products and services that have hit the market in recent years aimed at the Baby Boomer generation. The anti-wrinkle creams, hair care products, Botox, liposuction and body part lifts that are so popular are marketed to appeal to this generation's fear of aging. Luxury product manufacturers understand the underlying desire for status with certain segments of their markets. Lexus cars, Tag Heuer watches, and Dom Perignon champagne know that their markets take a certain pride in being able to buy their products.

But let's look at things on a smaller scale. Take my dry cleaner for instance. They are fabulous and it would take a major mistake on their part to get me to switch to another dry cleaner. Why? Because they not only do an excellent job of cleaning my professional wardrobe, they always have my clothing ready when they say they will. So far, ho hum. Right? Of course! Most dry cleaners provide at least this level of service. Well the last time I was in, my dry cleaner went a step further and appealed to me on an emotional level. Knowing that I travel a great deal, they wrapped up a small gift bag and presented it to me. The owner said she knew how important it is for me to always look my professional best, so she included a small travel-size lint brush, sewing kit, small container of Febreeze, and a stain remover product to ease my mind and my travels. Now that's emotional appeal at its best. She appealed to my sense of pride in how I present myself in professional situations and she also knew that I will go to great lengths to avoid the embarrassment of not being well dressed for meetings or training sessions.

Some of the emotions you may want to consider in your quest for the ultimate in customer satisfaction and increased sales are, status, which may take the form of ego gratification, popularity, pride, praise, or exclusivity - and fear which often translates to marketing activities where safety, security, and peace of mind are emphasized. Other emotions include comfort, time, money, fun, health, social advancement, morality, and ethics. By the same token, your products or services may help people avoid certain emotions like embarrassment, pain, loss, risk, worry, doubt, guilt, and boredom. If this is the case, be sure to emphasize these in your promotional efforts and operational practices.

As managers and business owners, your job is to ensure that you identify the emotional reasons that drive people to buy from you. It is important to break through the walls that customers erect and truly understand the emotional appeal that will make the purchase memorable. And the best way to identify the emotional reasons for buying is to ask. Consider focus groups, surveys, exit interviews, and mystery shopping as ways to get at the heart of why people buy. Creating that memorable customer experience means hitting those hot buttons each and every time you have the chance to interact with your clients. If you do, you'll be rewarded with loyal clients and repeat business. And in business, that's a very comforting and satisfying reward indeed.