Multi-Sensory Marketing—A Tale of Three Little Customers

Recently, I returned from a business networking event frustrated. It was an evening event, promising good food and fun after a two-day conference. After the last session, many of us had dropped our nametags in a big box for recycling. After all, we live in Seattle. Who could not be green-friendly?

That evening, with the loud chatter of people trying to be heard over the raging music, I felt like something was off. I just wasn't in top networking form—not in my element.

Several conference attendees, who I had seen but not had the chance to mingle with, introduced themselves, but their names just didn't stick.

Why? Because like 60% of the population, I am a visual learner. I see someone's name printed once, and I will remember it. I hear it spoken five times, and each time, it flies right out of my brain. I need that nametag.

All the time, people—your customers included—are giving you clues about how they process information, how they prefer to be treated, and how they want you to communicate with them.

The problem, of course, is that not all customers are the same.

What if, by understanding the different ways your customers take in information, you could learn to communicate on a deeper level, reaching each one with more effective marketing messages?

Well, you can. Really, you can.

People Think in Different Ways

Back in the 1970s, a linguist, a psychologist and an anthropologist walked into a bar. Oh, wait, wrong story.

Actually, what these three researchers did was conduct a ground-breaking study on how successful people communicate and learn.

Out of it came a new theory: Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). It's a fancy name for the idea that we all experience the world through one of three sensory systems: the eyes (visual), the ears (auditory) and the hands (kinesthetic). And the way we are wired to send sensory information to our brains determines how we think and behave.

Today, NLP is used by:

• entrepreneurs to improve their interpersonal skills.
• salespeople to develop rapport and understand the values of their clients.
• mental health professionals to inspire their patients to make changes in their lives.
• real estate agents to improve their communication skills.
• trial lawyers to win courtroom verdicts by understanding non-verbal behavior.

What's all this got to do with marketing? For starters, knowing which one of these three styles your customers fit helps you use the right communication style for each one.

And if you learn to market and sell using all three styles, well, you're way ahead of the game. Because you'll be reaching each customer at a deeper level.

I used NLP in my teaching days and can say that without a doubt, it helped me deliver multi-sensory lessons that hit all the learning styles of my students. It really works.

The Three Little Customers

When you are meeting with a client, you can learn much about how they think and receive your sales messages by watching the way their eyes move before responding to a question. Not to get too technical on you, but in NLP terms, these are called Eye Accessing Cues.

Business communication experts often tell us to maintain eye contact during conversations, but if you ask a visual or auditory thinker a question and they look away, it's not a sign that they suck at networking. It might be that they are just processing your question before giving you an answer.

Let's look at the three customers—how to tell their sensory style and how best to sell to them:

The Visual Customer: Show Me

Thinks in pictures. In school, this was the kid who reacted to a teacher's question by looking up, above her head. Sometimes the teacher would say, "Well, the answer isn't on the ceiling!" But for that kid, the visual thinker, it was.

Does it drive you crazy to go to a networking event where no one is wearing a name tag? You are probably a visual thinker.

In the general population, approximately 60% of people are visual thinkers.

How to Tell: When responding to a question, looks up and to their left (remembering visual images) or up and to her right (constructing new images). May use words such as: imagine, focus on, point out, see, blind to, get a picture of, review.

How to Sell: Don't stand too close; they need a full view. Use image-rich language and materials, such as brochures, photographs, fliers, and Power Point slides. Match their thinking style by saying things like, "I see what you mean." Or, " Let me take a look at that and get back to you."

The Auditory Customer: Tell Me

Retains content better when hearing it. May repeat back what you said because they need to process it. Might look beyond you or close their eyes to listen to your words. In college, this was the student who could listen to an entire lecture without taking notes.

Do you prefer the phone to e-mail? You might be an auditory thinker.

In the general population, 20-30% of people are auditory learners.

How to Tell: When pondering a question, looks straight to their left (remembering auditory sounds) or straight to their right (imagining a sound). May say things like: talk through, tune in, listen to, ring a bell, explain, hear me out on this, keep telling myself.

How to Sell: Speak clearly and in complete sentences. Pause so they can process your words. Allow time for questions and answers. Match their thinking style by saying things like, "I hear you" or, "We're on the same wavelength."

The Kinesthetic Customer: Let Me Feel

Enjoys hands-on stuff. Wants to touch and feel. Likes to move. May fiddle with pens. Might pat you on the arm when talking to you. Doesn't want to let go when you shake hands.

Do you play around with things on your desk and get fidgety if you can't get up and move around during an event or presentation? You could be a kinesthetic.

In the general population, 10-20% of people are primarily kinesthetic.

How to Tell: When processing a question, often looks down and to their left (engaging in self-talk) or down and to their right (recalling emotions and kinesthetic sensations). May use phrases like: hold on, put my finger on, strikes me, get a grip on, in touch with, sticking with.

How to Sell: Encourage them to hold your products. Let them feel the grain of the paper samples and thumb through your materials. Avoid long presentations because they tend to get antsy after 15 minutes or so. Pause so they can process their feelings. Say things like, "I'm feeling that you need…" Or, "Let's touch on that idea for a moment."

Try practicing on friends or family first. Watch where their eyes go before answering a question. Keep in mind that people's eye movements are rarely slow and deliberate. They are more like brief, subtle flicks, so it takes some time to read them.

Listen for the language clues described above.

What it all means

Knowing these basic NLP cues will not make you a mind reader, but it will give you some insight into the way your customer is thinking. Just remember: although most people have a prominent thinking style, they cannot be put into neat little boxes.

The key takeaway? Pay attention when developing your marketing materials.

For example, consider making your website truly multi-media, with podcasts, print copy, videos and other tools to help you build rapport, strengthen relationships and communicate more effectively with all your customers—no matter what their sensory style is.

Watch for MarketingYourSmallBiz.com's new multi-sensory website, coming on September 1.

Comments

[Jen Vondenbrink]

Judy - great points. I was first introduced to learning styles when I was in corporate training. As a professional facilitator and internal consultant it was soooo important to figure this out quickly and then adapt as needed.

Personally, I discovered through this process that I was an auditory learner. It explained so much. For my entire life to that point, I felt there was something wrong with me because in a room of people or class, I'd listen and take random notes while others scribbled furiously in their notebooks. I figured I had some learning disability or something.

After I figured out I was an auditory learner, the world changed. I actually capitalize on that now as a coach. It created a lot of freedom in my life.

[Judy Dunn]

It's amazing, isn't it, Jen? Your story about your experience in the classroom is so important. That;'s funny that you thought you had a learning disability!

Myself, I don't do so well with just sound. If I'm listening, for instance, to a teleconference, I have to be writing notes down, too.

I think it's exciting with the new technology how we can make our marketing materials, especially our websites, reach people with diverse sensory styles.

Thanks for commenting!

[Pamela Doyle]

One of the biggest things I had to learn was to teach to all these thinkers in a group setting instead of only my visual style.

When I am learning from someone who is teaching from a different style I make sure to ask them to help by approaching it from my style.

Thank you for the refresher!

[Judy Dunn]

Thanks for stopping by, Pamela. I'm sure in your field that you've found this stuff helpful.

I agree, it's a challenge hitting all the styles in a group presentation!

That's a greta idea, to let an instructor, coach or presenter know your preferred sensory style up front.

[Pamela Ziemann]

Reminds me of Thomm Hartman's book, "Cracking the Code" Great book reminding us we can use these skills for everyone's good.

I also read recently that the sixth sense should actually be called our first sense. We all have this intuitive knowing, just have to get out of our heads and back in our body!

Thanks Judy...

[Judy Dunn]

Pamela,

Thanks for stopping by! Personally, I love the "sixth sense is the first sense" thing. If we would just trust our intuition more.

I am naturally intuitive, so your comment hit home.

[Bruce Colthart]

This is such a great refresher, Judy! While I hadn't studied NLP directly, I do remember the first time being introduced to the concept and opening my eyes wide (I'm visual), smacking myself in the forehead (so kinesthetic) and saying "Wow! (cuz I'm so verbal) – I gotta remember this!"(that's right, I can also be forgetful).

But to some degree, I've incorporated these principles and sensitivities into my meetings and presentations. As a designer whose primary medium is ink on paper, I'm very aware of how I speak (and listen!) and how others speak and listen.

I also am very aware of when I should pull out a printed sample for the other person to handle and inspect, versus plopping my portfolio on a desk and starting with page one. I follow their eyes, noting what they pause on and try not to talk through their visual and tactile experience – only if I get the proper cue.

Seeing your post reminds me that my gut instincts and meeting skills are good, and that with just a little extra focus, I can detect, and steer the presentation towards, my prospect's preferred sensory input(s).

[Judy Dunn]

Bruce, I am absolutely loving your humor.

It sounds like you have this NLP thing down, but in a very natural way. I think you are right, if we just listen, pay attention to how our customers react with the world, and not just bulldoze our way through presentations, we''ll find the right way to get our messages across.

Thanks for the perceptive comments.