Feelings, Not Features: The Psychology That Sells

Host J. Alex Greenwood explores one of the most overlooked (and most powerful) aspects of successful branding and communications: emotional triggers. Why do smart people make seemingly irrational buying decisions? Why do some campaigns stick and others fizzle? The answer lies in psychology, not product specs. From Nike to Coca-Cola to your last impulse buy, this episode unpacks how emotion—not logic—drives decision-making, loyalty, and influence. You'll get a crash course in emotional messaging tactics that actually work—plus real-world ways to apply them in your PR, copywriting, or branding efforts. 🎯 You’ll Learn: Why emotional resonance beats technical features every time How top brands tap into identity, pride, nostalgia, and even fear 12 powerful emotional triggers and how to use them ethically in your messaging Why “facts tell, but emotions sell” isn’t just a cliché—it’s a science-backed reality How to use these principles in press releases, crisis comms, and reputation building 💡 Ideal For: PR professionals, brand storytellers, marketers, small business owners, nonprofit communicators, and anyone tired of leading with a bulleted list of features. 📬 Subscribe & Share: If this episode struck a nerve—or made you rethink your last campaign—share it with a colleague. And don’t forget to subscribe to PR After Hours and Alex’s newsletter All the Fits That’s News for more smart takes on branding, media, and marketing. CONNECT: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PR After Hours Site⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Professional Paragraphs on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email Alex a voice mail -- just send an MP3 (you can probably record it on your smartphone) with your first name, city, and brief questions ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Alex will play your message on the show and do his best to answer your questions or comments.  Shy? If you would prefer not to record your voice, just email the question with your first name and city ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠Click Here to gain access to ad-free, subscriber-only content for less than the price of a cup of coffee PER MONTH! $1.99 for no advertisements and occasional subscriber-only content!⁠⁠ Announcer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. PR After Hours Theme: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ "Bossa Antigua" by Kevin MacLeod Music Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.We are an Amazon Associates seller, and some of our links may earn us a commission.