What Bagpipes at a Bar Reveal AboutYour Marketing

People may forget what you sell, but they never forget how your brand makes them feel.

My sister Deb thought it was just another Friday afternoon. Her regular crowd trickled in, settling into their usual spots at the bar. There was the familiar rhythm of easy conversation and end-of-week unwind in the air.

Then the door swung open, and the sound of bagpipes filled the room.

One by one, her regulars unzipped their jackets to reveal matching black T-shirts that read “Deb’s Daytime Drinkers.” An ordinary day quickly turned into something unforgettable.

Deb laughed. She teared up. And then, as she always did, she poured. Not just drinks, but care, attention, and genuine warmth. Because Deb had never just been a bartender. She is a listener, a quiet encourager, someone who remembers your story and makes you feel important.

Her customers didn’t just come for a drink. They came for how she makes them feel: welcome, seen, and at home. '

That moment, bagpipes and all, was not about the beer. It was a thank you for the experience she creates.

It’s a powerful reminder for your business: how you make people feel matters more than what you sell. Emotional marketing lets those feelings show up in your words and content so your audience can imagine the experience of working with you.

How Feelings Influence Your Marketing

You might feel this story is far removed from your business (unless you’re a bartender). But it reveals something essential about how clients choose whom to work with.

Because when someone hires you, they’re not just investing in your technical skills, your expertise, or your creativity. They are choosing an experience, and more importantly, a person.

Because when someone hires you, they’re not just investing in your technical skills, your expertise, or your creativity. They are choosing an experience, and more importantly, a person.

Your future clients are asking themselves, “What does it feel like to work with her?” Every email, post, or blog they read is already shaping their perception of the client experience you’ll provide.

Do they feel confident, inspired, and understood? Do they feel like they’re in capable hands? Or are they simply scrolling through your content, appreciating what you do, but not quite feeling a connection?

When your marketing speaks directly to these emotions, you turn passive readers into people who feel excited to reach out.

Your Content Is the First Experience

Before a potential client ever speaks to you, they experience you through your content.

Your website, social posts, emails, and stories are where people first meet you and decide whether your content sounds like you or like generic marketing. It’s the moment they start to sense what it might be like to work with you.

If you want your content to show what makes you different, discover how your unique ‘designer DNA’ can make you visible in a way that still feels like you.

It’s easy to focus on what you offer: your services, your process, your results. But what truly sets you apart is how you make people feel along the way. For some, that feeling starts on a discovery call. For others, it’s your website, your checkout page, or even the way you respond to a DM.

Do your words reflect your energy? Your values? The way you support your clients when things feel overwhelming? The way you celebrate their wins?

Because those details build trust and help you connect with your ideal clients. They become a powerful part of your overall client experience.

The Emotions Your Clients Are Seeking

When people choose to work with you, they’re looking for something deeper than the outcome you provide.

They’re looking for relief, the feeling of not having to figure everything out on their own. They’re looking for confidence, knowing they’re making the right decision and are in capable hands. They’re looking for connection, to feel understood and heard, and to be aligned with the person they’re trusting.

They’re also looking for a sense of belonging, a feeling that they’re in the right place with the right person. And pride, the feeling that comes from investing in something that reflects who they are and where they want to go.

Emotions aren’t extras. They’re the foundation of a meaningful client relationship. Use words in your marketing to reflect these emotions, and you naturally create a connection with your dream clients because they feel, “She gets me.”

Emotions aren’t extras. They’re the foundation of a meaningful client relationship. Use words in your marketing to reflect these emotions....

And when your messaging reflects those desires, your content becomes more than informative. It feels magical.

Where the Magic Actually Happens

When your messaging captures your clients’ emotions, it stops sounding like a list of services and starts feeling like an invitation. You’re offering a client experience that feels supportive, aligned, and intentional.

I see this with my own clients. They feel relief when they no longer have to stare at a blank screen, wondering what to say. They feel confident when their message is clear, consistent, and true to their voice. And most importantly, they create a connection with their potential clients. Their words resonate and attract the people they love to work with.

When you focus on emotions, your marketing starts to feel different. Not forced. Not overwhelming. But true to who you are.

The Real Reason They Showed Up With Bagpipes

Deb’s customers didn’t show up with bagpipes because of the drinks.

They showed up because of how she makes them feel, again and again.

Welcome. Seen. At home.

That’s the experience people remember and tell their friends about. That’s what they talk about. That’s why they keep coming back to the Old Rail Tavern.

Your business can create that wonderful experience, too. And when your marketing and messaging reflect emotions, your dream clients will feel it. And they’ll know they’re in the right place.

The question is, are your words telling that story, and does your content sound like you and the client experience you provide when you talk about your business?

If you’re a female architect, interior designer, or construction professional who wants your words to be as intentional as your designs, I’d love to help. Let's chat.

Annette Mashi —Founder of Write Wizards —Creating Magic with Words

Meet the expert:

Annette Mashi gives visibility to female architects, interior designers, and women in construction so they stand out from the competition, attract their ideal clients, and win projects they love. She tells their stories and highlights their superpowers to showcase their value, allowing their creativity and talents to shine. With her mystical process, she captures your authentic voice, so her writing resonates with your readers as if it were conjured by your own hands.

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