Emotions sell. Making people feel good definitely sells. And the better you make them feel, the more likely they'll remain loyal customers. And the more permission they'll give you. So how come nobody out there is building their sites to make us feel good?
There are some things I do when I get up in the morning.
I shower, brush my teeth, shave, put some weird white stuff under my armpits. I do all this so I’ll feel comfortable showing myself to the world that day.
I choose some clothes that I like.
I eat a breakfast that tastes good.
I get in the car that I chose.
I go to work and smile at the folks I like best.
There’s a pattern here. There’s a common motivation behind each of these actions, and behind almost everything else that I do each day.
I like to feel good.
So I do things that make me feel that way. And I try to avoid all the things that make me feel bad.
I think most of us are the same in this regard.
We like to feel good and follow pathways that satisfy that need. It’s what makes us tick a lot of the time.
So here’s my question of the day.
What elements have you put in place on your site with the express purpose of making your visitors feel good?
I ask, because that’s an important way to retain permission.
You can get customers to check a box to give you permission. But you can’t hold them to it by force. It’s not a contract. It’s an “OK, let’s give this a try.”
So once you have that little checked box, it’s time to retain and build that level of permission.
And one of the best ways you can do that is by making every experience a “feel-good” experience.
If you’re scratching your head and wondering how a commercial web site can make you feel good, I’m sure you’re not alone.
When was the last time a retail web site made you laugh? Or smile? Or feel happy?
Can’t think of the last time it happened for me.
Which is strange. Because this happens offline all the time.
The decor in a restaurant might make me feel warm and welcomed. The music in a clothing store might make me smile.
I might laugh at a TV or radio commercial.
And if we get down to some real basics, the beautiful woman in the print ad holding a digital camera might make me feel pretty good about the camera.
Emotions sell. Making me feel good definitely sells. And the better you make me feel, the more likely I’ll remain a loyal customer. And the more permission I’ll give you.
So how come nobody out there is building their sites to make us feel good?
Is it a technological limitation? I don’t think so. I think it’s a human limitation in the face of learning new technology.
We’ve all become involved in learning how this new range of technologies works. And in the process, we’ve forgotten how humans work.
Humans are motivated by strong emotions.
So make me feel good at your web site. And I’ll buy more.
