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Two Words That Win Your Audience’s Undivided Attention
When To Use It And When To Avoid It
In .001 seconds it triggered memories of 1985. I recalled watching the video on MTV. My sister and I sat in the living room of our house. It was a year after we moved. At last, I adjusted to the new school.
Once the song ended I opened iTunes and forked over $1.29 to buy it.
The song is “Take On Me” by A-Ha.
Everyone experiences nostalgic feelings like that. It could be a song you haven’t heard in ages. It could be a scent that reminds you of grandma’s cooking. Anything that touches the senses can trigger nostalgia.
It’s a powerful motivator when used with intention.
Nostalgia keeps us loyal to a brand. It keeps us loyal to our preferences. Traditions survive and thrive to keep that feeling alive.
All of this means that nostalgia creates opportunities for the smart marketer or writer.
It does not matter if your idea or product is new. You can still reap the benefits. In fact, this simple shortcut does half the job for you.
The Two Most Powerful Words
Take your audience back to a time they remember with fondness. Tie in that story to your idea or product.
It starts with these two words.
Remember when…
Remember when instructs your audience to search their memory banks. Your follow up story creates a picture in their mind.
Here are some examples.
Remember when your cable channels were controlled through a box with switches and levers?
Remember when you thought flip phones were the coolest thing?
Remember when we made mixed tapes for our boyfriend/girlfriend? (I mean cassette tapes)
Remember when the only way to get a date was to walk up to a girl and ask her out? (I laugh now but part of me sweats with fear just thinking about it)
The wonderful thing about nostalgia is that it triggers selective memories, usually the good ones.
