Establishing an Emotional Connection

Hi,

We like to explore the different levels salons can connect with their clients. Salons naturally try to connect with clients on a functional level. That is, you promote great cuts, knowledgeable colorists, great price (or value), the best products available, etc. Connecting on a functional level is important because, at the end of the day, clients really do expect to get good products and services for their money.

The opportunity, and this is what all great lifestyle brands understand, is that salons must also connect with clients on an emotional level. How do your products and services make your clients feel? How does the experience they have in your salon, and with your staff, make them feel? Beautiful? Nurtured? Special?

By working through the Primary Emotional Benefit exercises in our Branding Framework we help you get at the precise emotional appeal you should make and how to express that throughout all aspects of your marketing communications and Client Experience.

But what’s the value in that? By appealing to clients at an emotional level we increase the not only the depth of the connection but the likelihood that the connection will be internalized by the client and incorporated into their identity at some level. Doubt it? We’d suggest by simply answering the following questions you will get an idea of the power of emotional connections: Mercedes or BMW? Coke or Pespi? Wine or beer? iPhone or Blackberry? Al Gore or Sarah Palin?

Once you establish an emotional connection with your clients, and they begin identifying with your brand—even if it's in small ways at first—then the likelihood they will advocate on your behalf goes way up. For many salons, word-of-mouth is their number one method of attracting new clients. What if your word-of-mouth double in terms of intensity, positive mentions, or frequency? What if every client bragged about your salon to their friends 12 times a year instead of once a year? What if they went out of their way to suggest you to their friends? What impact would that have on your ability to attract new clients—and what would that say about your current clients sticking with you in the long run?

If you would like to learn how to cultivate your own Brand Advocates, please contact me.

Jim Lucas
Séva Education
gojimlucas@sevastyle.com
(925) 980-7871


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