USE THE POWER OF GUILT

27. Use the power of guilt

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• Guilt is a strong emotion.
• And non-profit organizations use it all the time to get people to part with cash.
• But it works for brands in other industries too.
• You can make the consumer feel guilty for a number of things —overspending, overindulging, smoking, texting, not exercising, not being patriotic, not spending enough time with their kids, being homophobic or misogynistic, being prejudiced against other cultures…you name it.
• We carry guilt as individuals.
• And we carry it as a society too, for the way we collectively treat women, animals and the less privileged groups among us.
• So all you might need to do as a marketer is rekindle that existing guilt and offer your solution.
• Notice, too, that there’s a stronger motivation for people to do the right thing when they feel publicly exposed and watched.
• But try not to rub their faces in that guilt. Usually, a subtle touch works best.

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