Sizzle. Sausage. Or story.

What hooks today’s customers?

Most of us know the old marketing saying ‘sell the sizzle, not the steak (or sausage)’. Coined in the 1930s, the idea is that you should sell the benefits, not the features. Spark the emotion, don’t drone on about the actual thing itself. It’s good advice. The problem is that benefits alone aren’t enough.

In fact, selling the ‘sizzle’ is a recipe for more noise, more ‘selling’ and less real customer connection.

So, what’s the alternative?

Sell the story, not the sizzle

Most of the writing I do – particularly for luxury brands and retailers – is about selling the story, the scene or the moment, as much as the ‘sizzle’. Peel back the layers and what’s really great about ‘the sizzle’ is that it’s BBQ season: friends, family, the outdoors, ketchup on your shirt, paper plates, good times…

The same is true in the luxury sector. 

When people stay in a high end hotel or book a trip-of-a-lifetime holiday they’re looking for more than benefits. The softness of the sheets, the quality of the food, the ‘pinch me’ magic of the spa – all of this goes without saying.

What’s really important – and what really lasts – are the memories and stories you’ll take home. Because this is so individual, it’s difficult to put into words.

Sell the moment, not the macaron

True, ‘sell the moment, not the macaron’ may not stand the test of time like the sizzle/sausage saying, but it’s a principle that seems more relevant today. The best words now capture moments that cut to the heart of the brand experience. Kernels that fire the imagination and create positive associations.

And these moments are intrinsically human by nature. So while AI can do a good job of providing suggestions and guidance, it can struggle to nail those connections without falling into cliché.   

If you’d like to know more about how to move from sizzle to story, please get in touch.