We actively avoid being bombarded with messages. Ryan Holmes, the co-founder and CEO of Hootsuite, stated in a LinkedIn article that a staggering 86,000,000 block approximately 5,000 advertisements we see daily.
As if this needed to be more, we tend to avoid discussing subjects that make us uncomfortable.
This means that if you are a marketer assigned to represent a brand on a controversial topic, you will have a lot of work ahead. You will need to distinguish the noise from the unfamiliar and keep people’s attention, despite their discomfort. This is a difficult task.
It’s possible if you choose the right tone for your marketing materials. These techniques can make it easier to start difficult conversations with users if you find it difficult to discuss complex topics.
Get to the point
Users will be more open to discussing your views if you’re sincere and transparent. You’ll also lower the defenses of your audience and increase their likelihood that your product will be seen as the solution to an unanswered question.
Consider women’s reproductive health. This topic can be medical, social, cultural, and sometimes political. Sites like Nurx, which connects patients to providers online to purchase contraceptives, present their copies in an easy-to-understand and authentic manner. Their blog, The House Call, even addresses serious issues like domestic violence and sexual assault. This makes their company an unapologetic resource that does not leave any stone unturned.
Nurx doesn’t try to hide behind an uncomfortable theme. Instead, they use their website and marketing collateral to encourage patients to talk about sex and safety. Your marketing can follow Nurx’s lead by being forthright with your messages.
Use humor
Everyone loves to laugh, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. We’ve all laughed at embarrassing moments. Marketers can increase the “giggling effect” by making your topic funny and appealing to consumers. This will make it more interesting for them and reduce their resistance to being sold.
The Squatty Potty website is an excellent example of how to tickle funny bones to sell a strange product. The pages on the website are designed to help people eliminate their bowels. Its inventors aren’t afraid to laugh at the products. Shark Tank gave the Squatty Potty a head start, but it didn’t lose its cheekiness.
Poo-Pourri could have been more impressed. The video’s flagship has more than 43,000,000 views. The company’s ability to make people laugh has kept it moving.