Continuing from last week's article…
Pleasure motivations occur when people aspire to a higher level or to experience one of those feel-good "state changes." Pain motivations occur when we want to eliminate a current physical or emotional nuisance, or when we want to avoid a potential loss we believe may happen in the near future.
The truth: Of those two motivators, pain is the strongest. People tend to grieve over a perceived loss more than a gain. For instance, which would be more intense: Your level of happiness at finding $100, or your level of frustration at losing $100? Most people would feel the loss more intensely.
Marketers use both of these factors all the time. For example, weight loss clinics and diet book publishers have two marketing options. One, they can concentrate on the pleasure people will get once they reach a desired lower weight. Or two, they can remind people how unhappy they are now and how that pain can be removed if they sign up or buy the book. Of the two approaches, the second is the strongest motivator.
So how does this apply to marketing your music? Take a look at the emotional, physical and spiritual impact your music has on fans. Does it pump them up? Calm them down? Make them feel connected? Nostalgic? Romantic? Inspired? What's the real payoff your fans get from your music? By now you should know what that payoff is.
Now take those qualities and express them in both pleasure-gaining and pain-avoiding terms. Here are some examples:
A high-energy rock band
Pleasure: We'll get you pumped up and feeling alive and energetic.
Pain: Tired of your mundane nine-to-five work routine? Sick of sissy pop rock when you turn on the radio? We have the antidote for your blahs right here on our CD.
An acoustic pop-folk act
Pleasure: Our songs will soothe your mind with catchy, mellow guitar melodies and make you smile.
Pain: With your fast-paced schedule, the last thing you need is more of that angst-ridden grunge crap you always hear on the radio. Our music is your solution.
An avant-garde jazz trio
Pleasure: Exciting rhythms and invigorating instrumentation await you on our new CD. Give your ears the musical spice they hunger for.
Pain: sure, you could continue to be lulled to sleep by the dull, predictable sounds of most new jazz acts. Or you could give yourself some much-deserved relief and treat yourself to real music from seasoned jazz pros.
A romantic balladeer
Pleasure: Snuggle up with your honey and sway to these timeless songs – guaranteed to supercharge your love life.
Pain: Has your love life been in a rut? Do you have trouble getting in the mood? The romantic relief you need awaits you on my new CD of soothing love songs.
Get the idea? Your best bet is to use both pain and pleasure tactics when writing your music marketing materials. Hit people from both angles. It will help drive home the benefits of your music and give your fans (and potential fans) one good reason after another to give your music a try… and keep coming back for more of the pleasure-gaining and pain-avoiding goodies you have waiting for them.
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