About a year ago we had a potluck at my office, and the organizer used a service called Perfect Potluck to organize what everyone would bring.
(I’m sorry—this post isn’t about food… I know, I’m disappointed, too.)
When I first saw the Perfect Potluck website and branding, I wasn’t impressed. There was a strawberry in the logo, and if you know anything about potlucks, you know that they’re all about delicious fatty foods and not strawberries.
A Poor First Impression
I’m a logo snob, but the strawberry and the outdated fonts they chose for their logo and website… Meh.
But, the snob in me decided to take one for the team and signed up to pledge my offering of delicious tacos for the party.
I started getting emails from the Perfect Potluck brand and learned they had a sister app—Take Them a Meal.
This snob liked their logo even less.
Their Content Changed My Mind
Despite being really annoyed with weekly emails from this company that used weird logos and outdated font faces, the subject line in one email stopped me in my tracks:
No One Brings Dinner When…
They talked about the times we don’t reach out to help each other, which just happen to be the times when we need our friends and family the most.
When someone close to us is dealing with mental illness.
My instant reaction was defensive, to point out the times I DO reach out to help the people around me:
- When they’ve had a new baby
- When they are recovering from surgery or physical illness
- When they’re in the middle of a move
But, the email also compelled me to ask some painful questions.
Have I checked in enough on my friends who deal with depression and anxiety?
Have I ever reached out and offered a meal to someone I know whose child is struggling with drug addiction?
When my friend’s husband was in rehab for alcoholism, did I step in and help relieve some of her burdens?
Content and the Emotional Connection—The Results
The powerful message in this email made an immediate and bold emotional impression, turning my perception of this brand on its head.
In a matter of minutes, I went from a slightly annoyed email subscriber to a dedicated (and happily paying) user of their product who’ll recommend their service to anyone I know that’s planning a meal train or a potluck.
Perfect Potluck continues to hit the mark with content that forges an emotional connection with their audience. Just last week, their brand sent another email that emphasized the importance of allowing friends and loved ones to care for you.
How did they know I struggle with that every day?
By harnessing the power of content to form emotional connections, brands can convert skeptics into die-hard fanatics who keep coming back for more.
The Power of Branded Content
It’s not uncommon for our clients to struggle with the basics of content strategy. It seems natural to keep the spotlight on their incredible products and services.
We urge them to incorporate content that connects to their customers’ actual emotional needs.
Whether through its website, social media, or email campaigns, the content a brand shares is often the sole opportunity to show customers and prospects:
- What they believe in
- Why they do what they do
- Who they are as humans
And, whether consumers want to admit it or not, they’d rather work with and buy from people who share their values and beliefs.
Sharing your brand through content is how you forge deep and lasting relationships with potential clients.
Branding Beats Marketing
If you’re ready to put the heart and soul of your business into your content and start forming those emotional connections, developing a better email campaign or a new marketing tactic isn’t the place to start.
You need kickass brand development that clearly communicates what you believe and what problems you solve.
That’s what we do best.
We’ll consult with you on your branding, searching for holes in your strategy and messaging that are keeping you from being as awesome as you know you can be.
