In the summer of 1963, about 250,000 people showed up to hear a man called Martin Luther King speak.
These dedicated followers didn’t just show up. They took an 8-hour bus trip and waited two hours in the blistering heat.
Why?
You see he had a gift. A gift of moving individuals at scale. A gift of speaking directly to the motivations of people. His speeches gave people goosebumps, made em clap, cry and rejoice.
Because someone, after so damn long was talking about what the rights-deprived Americans wanted to hear. He saw the same dreams his listeners had.
He became the voice of the unheard.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed — we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
Unlike other politicians, who told what needed to be changed in America, Mr king shared what he believed in, and what he dreamt about. People who believed in what he believed took his cause and made it their own.
Brands, businesses, and entrepreneurs on the other hand too can benefit from Mr. King’s psychological strategy.
Only if they lead with a “why they do what they do”. More importantly, if this “why” resonates with the mass majority and speaks directly with their motivations.
Speak to their often unspoken emotional desires
Casper, a mattress-in-the-box company says
We help you sleep better. When you sleep better, you are more productive in your awake time and become a better version of yourself.
(targeting the mass desire to be productive and live your best life)
Bombas, a sock company says, for every pair of socks that you buy from us, we donate a pair to a homeless.
(targeting the desire to help the poor, it makes you feel good)
Apple, the American-tech giant leads with “think different”. Targeting the mass desire to stand out from the crowd.
You see, Mr. King, Apple, Bombas, and Casper have one thing in common. Their “whys” are aligned with the deep desires of their audience.
That is why their audience turned into dedicated followers. They took their cause, made it their own, and told everyone about it.
