One day you’d never heard of the song, and now you can’t seem to escape it. From malls to restaurants to amusement parks, it’s playing everywhere you go. Whether or not you like the song, before you know it, you’re humming along while you wait in line at the bank or the grocery store. This phenomenon is referred to as the familiarity principle. People gravitate toward what they know. The more you come into contact with the song, the more you prefer it over other songs.
The principle is no different for brands. Unfortunately advertisements are so commonplace, most people don’t even notice them. Instead of burying your customers in the same old emails and pop-up ads, shift your focus to video. The medium is more engaging and delivers a longer lasting impact. The following strategies will help you tap into the familiarity principle to showcase your products at events in their best light and drive more sales.
Get up close and personal
Customers want to know your brand, not some video production company. Think about what works well on YouTube. For example, using real kids instead of actors to talk about a serious illness adds authenticity to the message. The kids may not be as polished as actors, but their message is more meaningful.
Don’t be afraid to share your flaws. Humans aren’t perfect, and neither are brands. Using humor to trigger the familiarity principle allows customers to overcome their embarrassment about otherwise uncomfortable topics. Disarming customers with laughter lets them in on your empowering secret.
Offer value to customers
A video that’s a service in itself provides relevant, useful knowledge, building trust and inspiring customers to learn more. When customers approach your booth, they already know they have the option to buy your products. Giving them a free experience at your booth leaves them with a positive association with your brand. For example, maybe you sell knives, and your video offers quick cooking tips. Customers will leave excited about how they’ll use the tips and maybe even know who they’ll share them with later that day.
Show, don’t sell
A video isn’t supposed to push products at the audience, even at an event where you’re selling your products. Tapping into the familiarity principle requires cultivating a connection between your brand and your customers. When they get a lot of value or excitement out of watching the video, they’re more likely to do business with your brand. How do your products or does your brand itself fit into your customers’ lives? Maybe you’re solving a common problem or increasing their overall happiness. Focus on addressing these topics instead of just showing off your products.
A single compelling, thoughtful video creates a powerful association of transparency with your company for your target audience. Although you hope the audience will buy your products right at the event or in the near future, the point of the videos isn’t to tell them to do so directly. With the suggestion that they need to learn more about your brand, they’ll seek out your products or services on their own. You’ll be hard pressed to convey such a complex message in a single pop up ad.