Hey hey! Can you believe it? It’s May!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been making a few more purchases than normal lately. Partly driven by generalized uncertainty. And partly because I’m furnishing a new home.

Buying things should be simple.

See it. Like it. Buy it.

But somehow, even the smallest purchase turns into a negotiation with yourself:

"Do I really need this?"

"Is this the best option?"

"What if there’s a better deal?"

And most of the time, you’re not actually debating the facts.

You’re negotiating how you feel about the facts.

That’s where logic loses, and emotion takes over.

Logic doesn’t sell. Emotion does.

95% of purchasing decisions are emotional (Harvard said it, not me).

Let that sink in: nearly all consumer choices are rooted in emotion . . . not logic.

Yet most business messaging sounds like it was written by a robot for a compliance report.

If you’ve ever felt like your message should be landing...

...but prospects keep ghosting, partners seem “interested but not ready.”

→ That’s the emotion gap.

And no amount of rational argument will bridge it.

You can’t logic people into a decision.

(If that worked, nobody would own five different water bottles or spend $7 on a latte.)

You have to make them feel something.

→ Not just what your product does.

→ But why it matters to them.

→ And what happens if they wait too long to act.

People don’t buy products or services.

They buy:

→ Relief from a nagging problem.

→ The promise of a better future.

→ Confidence in the decision they’re making.

That’s why the smartest brands and businesses wrap their value inside a story that sparks emotion.

5 Steps to Infuse Your Business Messaging with Authentic Emotion That Drives Action

Emotion is non-negotiable.

Here’s how to build messaging that people actually care about—and act on.

1. Tell a story.

Stats inform.

Stories stick.

But most business messaging skips over the story—the human piece—and jumps straight to facts.

That’s a mistake.

Your audience isn’t scanning for data. They’re scanning for relevance.

Start by sharing a real moment or experience that mirrors what your audience is feeling or fearing.

Instead of “We help people manage debt,” say, “A client once told us, ‘I avoid opening my bills because I can’t handle it.’ Now? She’s debt-free and saving for her first home.”

It’s not about your product.

It’s about the situation that makes your product matter.

2. Use evocative language.

Most brands use safe, technical language.

Words like efficient, helpful, reliable.

It’s forgettable.

Evocative language paints a picture and stirs feelings. It makes the message visceral.

🚫 Instead of: “Our platform increases team productivity.”

✅ Say: “Our platform turns chaotic, scattered workflows into smooth, focused momentum.”

(You can use AI to punch up your language—but don’t let it overdo it. Forced emotion feels fake. And fake never converts.)

3. Connect to values.

When messaging feels “off,” it’s usually because it’s focused on what you think matters—not what your audience values.

Your product isn’t the hero.

Your customer’s values are.

Ask: What does my audience care about most?

Speed? Security? Status? Simplicity?

Then speak to that. Always.

A premium luggage brand, for example, doesn’t just sell durability. It sells “travel without limits” because its audience values adventure and status, not just sturdy zippers.

Speak to what they value, and the right people will pay attention. (I’ll be saying this until I’m 90.)

4. Create urgency.

People fear loss more than they desire gain.

So don’t just present what they’ll get.

Highlight what they might lose if they wait.

“We have 2 spots left.”

“Prices increase next month.”

“Your competitors are already making this shift.”

Urgency isn’t about pushing people. It’s about clarifying the cost of inaction.

5. Invite engagement.

Most calls to action are dead on arrival.

“Schedule a demo.”

“Contact us.”

They don’t provoke thought. They don’t create conversation.

Good engagement pulls people into the story—

and then invites them to reflect.

Try asking:

“What’s this costing you right now?”

“Where do you want to be in 6 months?”

Or even better—share a mini story and ask, “Sound familiar?”

An accounting firm, for example, doesn’t just say, “Book a consult.” It asks, “What’s the biggest financial headache you’re dealing with today? Let’s solve it together.”

When people reflect, they connect.

🎯 Action Step: Prove It Without Facts

Pick one line of your messaging.

A headline. A tagline. A value proposition.

Now rewrite it without using a single stat or feature.

Instead, answer these three prompts:

→ What relief does this offer?

(What pain, frustration, or fear does it take away?)

→ What aspiration does this fulfill?

(What goal, desire, or dream does it help them reach?)

→ What emotion does it spark?

(How do you want them to feel when they hear it?)

Now rewrite the message using only the RELIEF + ASPIRATION + EMOTION.

(Imagine you’re convincing someone without evidence. Only outcomes and feelings.)

Example:

🤖 Bonus GPT Prompt:

Use this to complete the action step above—and pressure-test the emotional impact of your message.

Once you’ve rewritten your message using relief, aspiration, and emotion...

👉 Don’t just stop there.

Make sure it actually resonates.

This prompt helps you see your message through your audience’s eyes, spot emotional disconnects, and rebuild it so people not only understand what you offer—they feel why it matters.

Prompt:

"I want to test a piece of my messaging and turn it into something my audience will actually care about emotionally.

First, here’s who my audience is:

→ [Describe your audience: who they are, what they want, what they fear, and what frustrates them most.]

Here’s the message I’m using now:

→ [Insert your message.]

Here’s what I need from you:

Step 1: Interpret how my audience would likely respond emotionally to this message.

• What are they likely to feel?
• What unspoken assumptions might they make?
• Would they care—or ignore it? Why?

Step 2: Spot emotional disconnects or missing empathy.

• Where does this message feel cold, vague, or self-centered?
• Where might it trigger doubt, skepticism, or boredom?

Step 3: Identify emotional levers I should be using instead.

• What relief should I highlight?
• What aspiration should I tap into?
• What emotion would grab their attention?

Step 4: Rewrite my original message using zero stats, features, or technical claims.

Focus only on feelings, hopes, fears, or desires that matter to my audience.

Step 5 (bonus): Suggest a short emotional hook or tagline version of the rewrite."

🔄 Tiny Confession

I recently spent twice as much as I had budgeted on a sofa for my new house because it was the last one marked down 50%. Yep, a 50% sale got me to spend 200% of my budget. It was an emotional decision. #FOMO

The science behind this?

Scarcity triggers loss aversion.

Emotion overrides logic.

And just like that—we justify a splurge as a smart deal.

→ What’s a “rational” decision you made that was clearly emotional?

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