Sandwich Technique and Perceiving Experiences

What is the Sandwich Technique? A Little Preparation...

Imagine that you are going to a concert by an artist you have been waiting for a long time. An hour and a half of the concert, which will last for two hours, is going great. But when the last half hour is entered, the sound system has a problem while the artist is singing his favorite song. That's why the song is interrupted. The technicians have been trying for a while to fix the problem. The concert ends 5 minutes early, as the problem could not be resolved after a long wait.

In such a story, many people will remember the unpleasant situation at the last moment, not the pleasant moments they had during the concert.

Now let's look at things from the opposite angle.

Imagine there was trouble at the beginning of the concert, but then everything went well and you had a great time.

Although there are problems in such a story, what you will remember is how enjoyable the concert was. Because the last thing that will be in your memory is the beautiful moments you spent.

If we formulate the examples above, there are two equivalent situations.

Case 1: Positive + Negative
Case 2: Negative + Positive

So why do we tell different stories in two equivalent situations?

In the first case, while we are already experiencing a positive process, the negative situation added later remains in our minds. That's why we do the closing badly.

In the second case, since we are already in a negative state, the added positive situation puts us in a better position. That's why we feel good. Not very rational, is it?

How rational are our purchasing choices? So what is the relationship between our perceptions and reality? You can click the link to learn more about it.

Antonio Damasio says;

“We are not thinking machines that feel; we are feeling machines that think.”

How is Sandwich Technique Applied?

Now imagine that you are going to criticize any person in front of you. His first reaction to direct criticism is probably to reject the criticism. Or he will go on the defensive. This will often cause it to not listen to you or create a perceptual defense wall.

In order for this wall not to be formed, you should enter the subject positively (bread) and insert negative comments (material). Then finish your sandwich (bread) with another positive finale. This way you will get much better results.

In this way, you will not be able to build the wall of perception, convey the message you want to convey, and complete the subject with the last positive emotion that will be remembered for the person in front of you.

It definitely works, try it!

What is the significance of this for brands?

This method, which is the subject of communication, is also valid for brand strategies. Brands that want to make a positive impression on consumers pay special attention to this. They strive for a positive perception at every stage of the consumer experience, but especially at the end.

For example, the relevance to be shown to the user who comes to the store, even with a broken technology product, will take its place in the perception of the consumer as the final impression. Accordingly, the consumer can prefer that brand again.

It is possible to use this technique, which can be applied at every stage of brand communication such as crisis management, in different ways in different media. In this way, your level of success in your communications will increase.