Human behavior is fascinating. Especially when it comes to human behavior in Marketing.
As marketers, we employ several psychology principles and apply them to influence and compel the buying decisions of the consumer.
There is so much written out there in terms of psychology and marketing, moreso now in the age of digital marketing.
In this article, we discuss a few basic (but powerful) behavioral principles that are relevant to this day and age.
Part of being a great marketer is having the ability to go beyond basic demographics and segmentation to understand why people behave the way they do. So how do you exactly compel your audience to engage and buy?
FOMO or Fear of Missing Out
Nobody likes to miss out, or feel out of place. Once this feeling kicks in to a customer, it compels them to make a purchase or a buying decision. This principle is one of the most common marketing ploys used to capture the target audiences’ attention. Phrases like: “ 3 people are looking into the same rooms in the Bay Area, only 2 rooms left – Book Now”. Or “Free gift box to our first 50 customers – sign up now!” , “Only 2 seats left, book your trip now.”
In terms of content marketing, try to get people’s FOMO by creating gated content or exclusive memberships. Have your existing audience share the content to their friends as a way of letting them know what they are missing out.
get your audience to sign up to join your community with exclusive membership benefits such as free monthly webinars. or an interactive community forum that has a plethora of useful resources. Humans beings are social by nature. the need to belong and to be in the know is an instinct.
The Social Proof
Everyone wants in on it. And in works in conjunction with FOMO if used correctly. Getting someone you trust to influence your followers is a way to catch serious FOMO.
According to B2B partners, “Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect the appropriate behaviour in a given situation.”
And just like FOMO, it compels customers the urge to conform.
Partnering with a well-known blogger in your market niche is an effective way to persuade your market that your content has the credibility and authority. It is endorsed by someone who is an expert in your market.
For example, if you are a digital marketer and want to sell your SEO and content marketing services, you can try to reach out to well known influencers such as Neil Patel: one who can deliver the last word about Digital Marketing. Once your audience sees that you are endorsed by someone influential, they follow suit. Thus increasing traffic, and followers.
Another way to boost your traffic would be to ask your popular customers to post testimonials on your website and Google for Likes, Shares and Tweets.
Authority
Become an authority in your market niche by creating content that compels and appeals to human needs and emotions. It can certainly add to the credibility and trustworthiness of your brand’s presence.
For example, going on Facebook Live and doing a live demo session of trying out different types of face creams, or cooking a pie or a dish ( 5 Sunday Brunch Ideas Your Family Will Love). Or a whiteboard session of How to Effectively Budget Your Salary Every Month – can do wonders to your website or account authority.
Another way is to title your content with your weakness. Really? Weakness? Have you ever read a blog post such as “ How I Failed My 25 Year Marriage”. “ Why I Quit College”, or something similar? Admitting weaknesses can be a tactic on getting your target audience’s attention because admitting a mistake or a weakness is just being human.
A lot of people can relate.
Sharing stories that resound to other people’s experiences is a great way to boost conversions. “ How I Lost 80 lbs. In 6 Months”, “: How To Get Over Your Ex.” Being as relatable as possible puts you at a better authority position to your audience.
Reciprocity
Audiences respond more when they are given a freebie without asking for anything in return: psychology. Or so they think. Free samples and teasers are the best ways to use the reciprocity principle. What people do not know generally is that they have already given out their information, such as their email address.
From a business’ perspective, offer free downloads or free white papers of useful content. This will give the impression that you are offering your website visitors something of value at no cost from their end. Once they are inside the loop, they continue their customer journey by subscribing to webinars, answering surveys, and signing up for weekly webinars.
Extra note: send Thank you’s and Holiday greetings to your audiences as part of an email campaign. It is a great way to send assurance that they are appreciated. Providing free features or product boosts for free at some point in the engagement will nail customer loyalty- especially when you ask them to share your content to their social media accounts.
The power of understanding human behavior in marketing does not mean you need to take a psychology course – instead by putting yourself in your audience’s shoes is a great first start. Ask yourself, what do I need, or what I want as a consumer, then think of the ways how your products and services appeal and resound to you and apply it to your own audience. It also helps to take a look at how your competitors use psychology of human behavior in their marketing to help you reposition your strategy.
Digital marketing is not just about making a sale. It’s about inculcating to your audience some subtle cues about your products. A daily post about wellness, or a simple motivational quote – even without a product/service endorsement can go a long way as boosting your website traffic and maximizing conversions is all about how you engage your audience and how long you engage them for.
Do you have other psychology concepts that you use that are effective? Share them here in our comments and let us know how it worked for you!