An emotional product satisfies an emotional need. A perfect example is jewelry. Jewelry doesn’t have a tangible physical function. It is all about the emotions you feel when you buy it for someone else, when you give or receive it as a gift, or when you wear it.
People don’t usually think about B2B decision making as being emotional; it’s supposed to be “all business” after all. Yet it is important to recognize that even in B2B relationships there is room for emotional play. How can B2B companies leverage such an effective tactic? The key thing to remember: There are humans involved in any business decision. Take advantage of this simple fact.
Here are few examples:
Job Security: The buyer feels “safe” purchasing from you and your firm. “You will never be fired from buying from us”.
Career Advancement: Buyers feel that buying from you and your firm will give them career bonus points or position them better for the next career transition, either inside or outside the current firm.
Personal Achievement: Buyers take pride in their work and feel that buying from you and your firm is the “right thing to do” based upon their own self-image as a good person.
Relationships: The buyer likes the people she’s buying from and wants them to be happy.
Easiest Path: The buyer prefers a certain brand just because s/he is familiar with it, therefore, buying it is the least time-consuming path. Vetting a new vendor takes time—time the buyer would much rather spend at home with loved ones.
Simple Greed: The buyer expects to receive some sort of benefit from buying. Warning: this can take the form of a request for an illegal kickback. There are also hidden semi-legit financial benefits. For example, the users training workshop for the new product will take place at a five-star resort in Hawaii.
Some of the above examples demonstrate that by adding an emotional angle to it the perceived value of a functional product can be enhanced.