Customer passion is a powerful tool. It’s a frequently tactic from companies, and in marketing, to unite an otherwise disparate group towards a common purpose. Passion represents a mission. If you are relentlessly pursuing a mission, you signal to others that this is a cause worthy of your focus.
As socially driven creatures, humans are very susceptible to social norms. Observing those who share a common passion has an impact on others and strengthens interest in… And commitment to… The mission at hand. We don’t want to miss out! Furthermore, you are putting your actions and resources behind your beliefs.
Being all-in is very powerful because it signals strong beliefs in the vision you wish to create.
Along with setting norms, customer passion creates excitement. Exciting people is a secret weapon in marketing. You are more likely to make gains by word of mouth… Converting customers of competitors, and getting lots of activity on social media. When people start to buy into the mission it becomes part of their identity. Customers want to express this identity and excitement fuels the fire. Be inclusive. Let your passion excite others and watch how they act – they’ll want to be a part of it.
Passion also taps into our intrinsic motivation. This is the motivation that comes from inside, as supposed to external rewards like money. These are warm fuzzies. This is utilized by cause-marketing, where part of your purchase supports a charitable cause… And it can lead to the contagion of passion. An example of this is a study on happiness that studied 4,700 people over 20 years. The study found that happy people significantly boost the chances of their friends becoming happy.
Another example of passion and contagion is the 93 Dollar Club, the brainchild of Carolee Hazard.
“Carolee noticed that the woman in front of her at the grocery store had lost her wallet. She offered to pay her $207 grocery bill. The next day, she received a check from the woman she had helped for $300… A full $93 more than she had originally paid. Uncertain about what to do with the money, she published the story on Facebook; someone then suggested she donate it to charity, and Carolee gave the money to her local Food Bank.
Within a day, inspired by Carolee’s generosity, over a dozen of her Facebook friends had joined in to help. And as they spread the message, donations of $93 flooded in, and the project quickly grew. Carolee’s initial act of kindness has seen The 93 Dollar Club raise over $100,000.”
Passion fuels most social causes and many successful marketing campaigns. This means the passion of the leader, the team, and all the in-betweens. Passion signals that you are willing to do anything to make the dream a reality… This reduces risk in the mind of the observer that joining you is going to be a safe bet.
Be generous and open with your passion. If you have a vision of how your brand can solve your customers’ problems, sing it from the rooftops. The customers are listening and ready to join the choir.