Emotions in Guerrilla Marketing

GUERILLAPEDIA: Emotions in Guerrilla Marketing

By Andy Garza for Small Business Showcase Magazine

In our last issue, we explored the use of senses in guerrilla marketing. Now, we’re diving into one of my favorite tactics: leveraging emotions.

I’ve always believed that buying is an emotional decision, and this principle is particularly effective in guerrilla marketing. Human emotions, managed by the amygdala in the limbic cortex of the brain, play a crucial role in decision-making. Out of the 12 basic human emotions, 95% of marketing efforts target three: happiness, sadness, and frustration. These emotions are where guerrilla marketing really shines.

Focusing on one of these three emotions can make your marketing tactics significantly more impactful. The key is to trigger the desired emotion that aligns with your product or service. Typically, happiness is the most commonly used emotion, followed by frustration, and finally sadness. Although sadness can be effective, it’s generally not the preferred emotion to target. Happiness and frustration tend to yield better results.

Once you’ve successfully triggered the desired emotion and linked it to your brand, product, or service, acquiring new clients or customers becomes a much smoother process. Emotions are a vital part of the buying process, so the question becomes: which emotion should you and your business utilize?

Using emotions in your marketing efforts is extremely effective and should be a cornerstone of your strategy. In our next issue, we’ll discuss anchors, which I describe as emotions on steroids. Stay tuned!

Andy Garza is well known as the Guru of Guerrilla Marketing. He has over 30 years of experience using Guerrilla Marketing to launch 4 businesses. Andy has also reached top-level sales status in 4 different industries including Flooring, Auto, Furniture, and Senior Financial Planning. Presently the President and CEO of Big Gorilla Sales and Marketing Training, Andy has become a sought-after speaker for entrepreneurial groups, including a featured speaker for Notre Dame’s Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program as well as his own training seminars in both Marketing and Guerrilla Sales.

Andy has extensive experience in Magazine Publishing having owned New Homeowners Guide and Senior Financial Digest. Now one of the Founding Partners and the President of Small Business Showcase.