In the middle of the Great Depression, when wallets were thin and hope was even thinner, a young copywriter named Elmer Wheeler said something that changed everything:
“Don’t sell the steak. Sell the sizzle.”
That line crackled its way into the halls of marketing history.
Because Wheeler saw something others didn’t.
While companies pushed facts, he pulled feelings.
While they talked features, he told stories.
He realized that people weren’t buying what was being sold. They were buying how it made them feel.
The scent. The sound. The spark. He knew that facts inform, but stories and feelings persuade.
During a time when businesses were fighting for survival, his simple idea helped them not just stay afloat but thrive. Why? Because he sold the experience, not just the offer. The outcome, not just the object.
Here’s the kicker.
You can sell the sizzle, but they’ll still expect the steak.
And if you serve them tofu with a sirloin soundtrack, don’t be shocked when they spit it out.
The sizzle gets attention. The steak earns trust.
We live in a time that’s noisy, uncertain, and deeply emotional. So yes, wrap your message in energy, emotion, and empathy. Tell the story that makes their heartbeat faster.
But when they bite? Deliver.
Speak to the dog in the language of the dog, about what is in the heart of the dog. But don’t slip them a chew toy when they’re expecting filet mignon.
Because sizzle might spark the fire, but steak is what keeps it burning.
