The photo is emotionally engaging and a far cry from the normal pouty hair ads— Well done Aussie! This is your typical hair marketing image… Beautiful hair in this POS, but it generates no emotional engagement! To improve this image, I’d choose the pride emotion to be displayed on the face and in the body language. In the image as it currently is, we see the body language and facial expression of someone who might be disappointed in the condition of their hair and not enjoying how beautiful it is.
Here’s a breakdown of the elements that make it good:
- The genuine smile is such a great element!
- Eyes pointing toward the key message, ensuring the wording is read
- Lip biting shows a bit of low-level nervousness, but combined with that genuine smile, it works!
- Although there’s a lot of text, whilst standing on the tube platform, people will have time to read it, and I’m certain many of them will!
6 easy-peasy steps to ensure your marketing images will resonate and create emotional engagement with your audience:
- Step 1 – Think about the emotion you want the consumer to feel…
- Step 2 – Why do you want them to feel that emotion?
- Step 3 – What action do you want them to take based on the emotion?
- Step 4 – Seek out emotional direction; at the production and creation stage it’s vital!
- Step 5 – Select the most emotionally engaging images that meet all the emotional criteria.
- Step 6 – Use the selected imagery in your campaigns.
Guess the emotion!
- What emotion do you see in the above image?
- How does it make you feel?
- What muscle movements of the face do you notice?
Body Language Basics
In this newsletter, I’d like to share some business body language tips that will help you when creating marketing photos and in your everyday interactions.
I am frequently asked to assist business people in improving their communication and nonverbal skills in order to improve their work performance, and I thought you might find some of the tips helpful too.
The way we communicate in business can either enhance or detract from our interactions, long-term relationships, and economic opportunities.
Posture: Slouched vs. Upright.
- Slouching can look very casual, laid-back, and possibly ‘I don’t care’ attitude.
- Upright looks like you mean business… To convey confidence and professionalism, stand tall (shoulders back and spine straight). Remember that even when you’re sitting, your posture sends a powerful message about your mindset.
Voice: Voice is an important aspect of body language (non-verbal, but vocal communication) that most people overlook. Do you speak with confidence or hesitantly? When you want to be heard, lower your tone slightly, and speak slowly and purposefully. I guarantee you’ll be listened to.
Facial expressions: Remember, no matter what you say, you’ll lose credibility if your face tells another story. And that’s the last thing you need in business. Ensure you fully believe what you’re saying, and your listeners will believe you too.
Gestures and mannerisms: Gestures, when used well, can enhance your verbal messages. Used badly, they detract from your verbal communication. There are some gestures I teach business people that really help with their anxiety and confidence levels.
One of the ways to work with me is that I offer meeting accompaniment, to help you read the room and create a win/win situation in your negotiations and sales pitches, or coach you to improve your communication skills and performance at work and in meetings. Contact me for more information.