It might seem strange to talk about the human brain in the context of financial marketing strategy. However, consider for a moment how brands can use different kinds of media to “prick” different emotions, thoughts and memories – embedding themselves into your mind.
The first time I stepped into the shop Hollister in the USA ten years ago, I was instantly struck by the smell. An unmistakable, musky aroma. That brand is now fully lodged in my brain whenever I pass someone wearing a Hollister fragrance or anything remotely resembling it, such was its impact on my brain. Think of the marketing power that this brand has tapped into, through the power of smell!
The brain is a fascinating organ, and it has big implications for your financial marketing strategy. Why? Two reasons. First, certain content can “lodge” you in prospects’ minds in a powerful way. Second, the type of content you use can actually, in itself, determine what kinds of emotions your audience feels towards you and your brand.
What do I mean? Consider the nature of written types of content. Case studies, white papers, Ebooks and blog content (like the kind you are reading now). You might think that what these articles are saying is what determines your prospects’ emotions towards your brand. You’d be partly right. However, written content, in itself, forces your prospects to enter the shoes of the author/protagonist. This makes it indispensable to a financial marketing strategy because, text, in itself, is the perfect medium for forging a relationship between the consumer and your brand, and also for enhancing prospect trust.
What about graphic content such as slideshows, infographics and brand imagery? These are ideal for helping people process and comprehend information quickly. If your an IFA or Financial Adviser for example, what about a slideshow on the pension transfer process? It only takes 250 milliseconds for our brains to process a symbol, and then fix a meaning onto it. This makes imagery a potent tool for conveying complex ideas in a rapid fashion, whilst also making it memorable. A solid marketing strategy would, therefore, be wise to incorporate imagery prudentially into their branding and marketing activities. For instance, it is important that your images are not “stocky”, “tacky”, “cliched” or “fake”. These can actually do more harm than good.
Last, we look at video content such as Vlogs, informative/educational videos and culture/brand videos. These are hugely powerful due to the mixture of body language, voice intonation, pitch and more which are simultaneously conveyed. It also has the advantage of being a highly passive form of communication, meaning the brain does not need to work hard to consume and digest the information. This makes video a perfect means for showing prospects how to do something (instructional videos), and for conveying personal company stories, history and values. Since humans can process videos 60,000 times faster than they can process text, this medium is a valuable addition to a strong financial marketing strategy.
