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Multi-Sensory Marketing:
A Tale of Three Little Customers
 Back in my post-graduate studies, I learned about a theory called Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). It was based on research on how people learn. The basic idea behind NLP is that we all experience the world predominately through one of three sensory systems: the eyes (visual), the ears (auditory), or the hands (kinesthetic).
What's that got to do with marketing? Well, if you know which style your customer fits, you'll communicate better and hit your customer with the right message in the right way.
The Visual Customer
Approximately 60% of the population, this customer says, "Show me."
How to Tell: May prefer e-mail to phone. Drives her crazy when people don't wear nametags at an event. Likes to take notes. Visual thinkers, when responding to a question, tend to look up and to the left (remembering visual images) or up and to the right (constructing new images).
How to Sell: Try sending more e-mails. Don't stand too close in one-to-one meetings and sales presentations because she needs a full view. Use image-rich materials: brochures, fliers, photographs, Power Point slides. Match her thinking by saying things like, "I see what you mean" or, "Let me take a look at that and get back to you."
The Auditory Customer
About 20-30% of the population, this customer says, "Tell me."
How to Tell: May repeat back what you said. Might look beyond you or close his eyes to listen to your words. Can listen to a presentation without taking notes. Auditory thinkers, when responding to a question, tend to look straight to the left (remembering sounds) or straight to the right (imagining a sound).
How to Sell: Use the phone more often than e-mail. Offer teleseminars as a content delivery option. Speak clearly and in complete sentences. Pause so they can process your message. Allow time for questions and answers. Match their thinking by saying things like, "I hear you" or "We're on the same wave length."
The Kinesthetic Customer
10-20% of the population, the kinesthetic customer says, "Let me feel."
How to Tell: May fiddle with pens. Might pat you on the arm when talking to you. Doesn't want to let go when shaking hands. Needs to move around. Gets antsy during long presentations. Likes demonstrations and how-to videos.
How to Sell: Use hands-on strategies. Let them thumb through your materials. Don't try to keep them captive longer than 15 minutes without a break. If you are selling a product, let them try it out. Pause so they can process their feelings. Match their thinking by saying things like, "I'm feeling that you need..." or, "Let's touch on that idea for a moment."
What It All Means
Although most people cannot be put into neat little boxes, if you know your clients' sensory styles, you can develop the one-to-one communication strategies that will get your messages noticed. And when developing your bigger picture marketing tools, such as your website, if you use a multi-sensory approach-print copy, videos, podcasts to name a few-you'll be much more likely to build strong relationships with your clients, no matter what their preferred learning style is.
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