The mind uses logic to justify what the heart desires.
Roy H. Williams taught me that back in 2005 and I have shared it with countless other retailers since.
Win the heart and you win the mind. But what does it mean to win the heart?
It means to win the right hemisphere of the brain where emotions and colors and sounds and images exist.
It means to win the right brain of connections and patterns and relationships.
It means to win the right brain that does not care about logic or labels.
It means to win the right brain, the part that never sleeps.
You do that with emotions.
You do that with relationships.
You do that with patterns.
You do that with music and sound.
You do that with surprise and delight.
You do that with stories.
Can you tell a story about your store that will connect emotionally with your potential customers? It will be far more powerful than any facts or data.
I ran this ad in December 2005, again in 2007, and again in 2009.
He left Detroit 9am Christmas Eve. Someone somewhere had to have the one toy his sweet little six year old wanted. Six cities, seven stores later he stood travel weary in front of me. “I suppose you don’t have any Simon games either.” As I handed over the last of the Simon games he smiled and said, “God bless you.” Believe me, he already has. Merry Christmas from Toy House in downtown Jackson. We’re here to make you smile.
No facts. No data. Just a true story about my first Christmas Eve on the sales floor back in 1980. Would you believe the three years I ran it are three of the best holiday seasons in the last 20 years?
Win the heart (the right side of the brain). You know how.
-Phil Wrzesinski