How to utilize consumers’ five senses to develop an operational strategy that ignites user desires?

We who work in operations communication often say that operations and communication are an art of communication. So what is communication? Communication refers to the process of transmitting and feedbacking information, thoughts and feelings between people and groups through the senses.

Since operational communication is an art of communication, Allen knows that we cannot do without these three things in the communication process: content, communicator, and receiver.

The so-called "operational communication" is essentially a social activity that companies do in order to gain more social benefits by connecting, integrating and catalyzing these three factors, allowing them to produce chemical reactions in the media and thus achieve the purpose of communication.

Ultimately, Allen believes that the core of operational communication revolves around the two words "transmission" and "broadcasting". That is, there must be both "dissemination" and "dissemination".

How to understand the so-called "dissemination"? It can be understood as a process of how an enterprise conveys the information it wants to tell users to the users' minds. "Broadcasting" specifically refers to secondary communication, that is, how to impress users through the "dissemination" content and let them help you do secondary "broadcasting", forming an endless cycle of "transmission" and "broadcasting", thereby maximizing the communication of corporate operations.

In an era when media resources are relatively concentrated, such as when radio, print media, and television media are prevalent, companies usually focus on the word "communication", as can be seen from the winning bids for CCTV in previous years. What Allen observed is that with the development of technology and the rise of various online media, the user base has been divided and fragmented, and companies are increasingly unable to find where their users are. The cost of "communication" is also getting higher and higher, and "broadcasting" has become increasingly valued by companies.

Let's get back to the point. Since communication is communication, and communication is the process of using the senses between people and between groups to transmit and feedback information, thoughts and emotions. In this article, Allen will show you how companies use human senses to write articles and conduct operational communications.

Allen believes that ordinary people communicate with the outside world mainly through the following five senses, and the same is true for corporate operations communication, which is what we often say: eyes (vision), ears (hearing), mouth (taste), nose (smell) plus skin (touch).

1. Let’s talk about vision first – direct stimulation

Vision is the largest, most numerous and most direct "sensory element" for us to communicate with the outside world. Up to 85% of information humans receive is through their eyes, so Allen believes that visual operational communication is the "highlight" part of our corporate operational communication, because people are always more willing to believe what they see with their own eyes.

At the same time, the beauty of the goods can arouse customers' desire to buy. Visual operational communication is a method of operational communication that achieves sales goals through visual stimulation. It includes display design, store POP design and store design. You should know that among the factors that shape the brand’s personality, factors such as product packaging, symbolic symbols, advertising and corporate image all require visual operation and communication thinking.

2. Sound identification - Strengthen

Among the eyes, ears, mouth and nose, the ears are another important component for us humans to receive external information. To a certain extent, they can avoid the "physical obstacles" in my life - places that the visual part cannot reach.

Just like you can hear the sound of a car horn from far away at a street corner, it conveys a message to you - there is a car coming and you have to react - avoid it.

In other words, Allen believes that the same is true for corporate operations communications, such as the sound effects of WIN system startup, Tencent QQ's "beep beep" new message reminder, and so on. Every time the sound logo sounds, it serves as a reminder and reinforcement, because it is a special "prompt" exclusive to this product. When you hear it, you and the people around you can clearly identify: there is a computer that is being turned on here, and it is equipped with Microsoft's WIN system. The sound logo gradually strengthens the unique characteristics of the product and makes the brand imprint rooted in the minds of users.

3. Taste delivery - fall in love

Taste communication usually only exists in "entry-type" products, and a unique memory mark is formed through various taste combinations such as sour, sweet, bitter and spicy. Even if you are blindfolded and wearing headphones, as long as the tip of your tongue tastes this taste, it will immediately convey a memory mark to your brain to help you distinguish what product it is, because this product tastes like this - this is the taste I want.

Allen believes that there are many products that have done well in taste operation and communication, such as the "Laoganma" and "Cigarette" brands. Remember that the purpose of taste operation and communication is to make users "fall in love" with your product and buy it next time, rather than simply remembering the product.

Another point Allen feels is that especially in the terminal sales of food, food often provides consumers with free tasting opportunities at the terminal sales stage, which is conducive to attracting consumers by stimulating their taste buds.

4. Olfactory effect - Loyalty

The sense of smell is actually an extension of the sense of taste, but it has a wider range of applications and is not limited to the operation and communication of food products. At the same time, the accuracy of olfactory memory is twice as high as that of vision. We must know that every day we live in smell and experience the significant impact of smell on emotions, memory, mood, and behavior.

For example, when you buy perfume, you will smell it. For example, when you stay in international hotels such as Ritz-Carlton, Four Points by Sheraton, Sofitel, W Hotel, and Mandarin Oriental, you will find that they have a unique scent that belongs exclusively to the hotel brand. Why would they do that?

Because Allen believes that as society develops, the market has become increasingly oversupplied with buyers. With more choices, the relationship between consumers and brands will become less loyal, and the free flow of consumers between different brands will intensify. Olfactory operation communication triggers positive and pleasant emotions through pleasant smells, brings deep memories and a sense of identity, thus forming stable purchasing preferences, brand recognition and even loyalty.

5. Tactile Operational Communication - Action

In fact, Allen believes that touch is the most essential and direct of the five senses. The most widely recognized classic example is the Coca-Cola glass bottle. It is a model that cleverly caters to the sense of touch. Through the gracefully curved bottle, people feel a strong pleasure through contact and grasping. Adults can fully understand this and get extra emotional satisfaction.

At the same time, Allen believes that tactile communication has an irreplaceable point: leaving an unforgettable impression on consumers through touch, stimulating consumers' desire to buy while promoting product features.

Summarize

Finally, Allen feels that whether it is to use one of the human senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) to carry out operational communication in a specific scenario, or to use a combination of one or more of them. Allen believes that the ultimate goal of operational communication is to create a different perceptual experience for users, allow consumers to participate and effectively mobilize consumers' purchasing desire, and ultimately generate corporate benefits.