Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Happy Spring! Thanks for following along with our 2024 series, as each month we reveal one of DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths from our signature workshops. If you apply these tried-and-true principles, you will build a brand capable of increasing your organizational capacity in every way.

What’s #3 on the list for creating a bold arts and culture brand? It’s no secret – successful brands make emotional connections.

We like to think it’s our ability to reason that guides our judgement on how we spend our time and money, but alas, we are only human. We are ultimately ruled by emotion, and we make emotional decisions big and small. Are Girl Scout cookies really that good? Yes, yes they are when they are sprinkled with Girl Power and little Suzy asks you to support Troop 402 with those big brown eyes asking you, personally, to help her win the patch for most boxes sold. How can you not?

There must be millions of books, articles and blogs about the power of emotion in selling — whether it’s an item or an idea. Business thrives on understanding the psychology of consumer decision-making and spending trends. Smart nonprofits and cultural organizations focus on this, too. Knowing what is driving community and audience support of your cause is vital to growth and sustainability.

Just ask yourself what motivated the last five purchases you made. How much did need and reason drive your decision, and how much was about want, appeal, or mood and lifestyle enhancement?

In branding, it comes back to this: How does the cultural experience you provide make people feel?

Sure, folks will use the reasonable part of their brains to determine if your mission is effective and your finances sustainable before they hand over their big donor gift. But to passionately support you, they must feel a deep emotion in their hearts. Sometimes that emotion is attached to history, a program, or a person. Whatever the reason, it’s your job to know why people feel the way they do and keep them feeling great every time they encounter your brand.

 Our Tips: Go ahead. Just ask. “How you feeling?”

• Back to research! Ask how an exhibit, performance, event, or program made an audience member feel in three or four adjectives. These words tell you everything!
• Find out how your current visual brand (logo, colors, style) hits people emotionally. How do they feel when they view it?
• Are you telling great stories that make emotions soar? Ask why people care about your mission.

Struggling to make that emotional connection? Email hello@thedrmtm.com to talk about it with a free conversation over coffee.

Here’s to Leading With Emotion,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl