WOW Word-Of-the-Week #378: Resonate

November 2, 2011 by · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #378: Resonate 

Resonate – to evoke a feeling of shared emotion or belief.

Did you pay special attention to each weekly WOW on influence? Did any of them resonate with you personally? Did you catch yourself being swayed by a retailer?

I found three specific instances where I caught myself after the fact. The first was in reference to this quote on influence. “We can’t be expected to recognize and analyze all the aspects in each person, event, and situation we encounter in even one day. Instead, we classify things according to a few key features and then to respond mindlessly when one or another of these trigger features is present.”

I ordered a mocha because it was listed second on the menu board. I always drink cappuccinos or lattes (which are usually listed first.) When I made a comment to Chris about my coffee being sweet he said, “I wondered why you ordered a mocha.”

The second time I caught myself was with regard to this quote on social proof. ” We view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.” I found myself walking on red lights because everyone else was.

The third time was with regard to this quote on scarcity. “Probably the most straightforward use of the scarcity principle occurs in the ‘limited number’ tactic, when the customer is informed that a certain product is in short supply that cannot be guaranteed to last long.”

The sole on one of my 12-year-old black Ecco shoes shredded and I needed to replace them. I found a pair I liked that were two toned gray and black. They also had the same shoe in red and black (which made them more limiting.) Wanting to make sure I had made the right decision I went to three more shoe stores. I came back to the first store and tried them on again to make sure they were comfortable. The sales girl helping me said, “These should go with everything. The red ones have been flying off the shelf.” Needless to say, I bought the red ones. And they are oh, so, FUN!

This week’s focus is on what resonates with you. What have you experienced that has invoked a shared feeling of emotion or belief? Have you tried any of the principles on your customers, guests, clients or members? Were you able to sway or influence them to purchase your product?

Reader Responses

“Resonate is a word that has become part of the mainstream lexicon. If something I see, read or hear strikes some kind of chord in me, usually emotional, I will have some kind of reaction – oftimes visceral. Also, if an ad, a song or something appeals to one of my values, it will resonate with me. If it is hokey and not genuine, then it will not resonate. There is so much artifice in the marketplace, most of us are able to figure out what the real McCoy is. But when something hits that genuine chord, something inside of us – it is inexplicable – is affected. Those are generally the most successful. Thanks, Susan. Have a great weekend.” – “Warrior” Joe