Marketing is all about psychology. An effective campaign connects with the consumer and creates a relationship. Good marketing drives action, and using marketing psychology is a very effective way of doing that.
It’s not about lying, or misleading, or otherwise “tricking” someone. You need a good product or service to offer, or your efforts won’t last for the long-term. But without creating a positive response and forging a connection with your customer, you won’t be achieving the success that you could be.
Think about your competitors. What differentiates your product or service? Surely you have some unique features, and surely you believe that your offering is better. The reality is that customers have an overwhelming number of options now, and you need to stand out with your marketing to make a real difference in the market. Understanding how the mind works and utilizing that information in your campaigns will give you an advantage.
Today, we’re going to look at 6 ways to incorporate psychology into your marketing materials and improve the effectiveness of your campaigns.
#1: Establish a need for the relationship
If people believe that they need information, or have some use of what you have to offer they will be at least twice as likely to communicate with you in the future. Your marketing needs to establish, first and foremost, that the target customer has a legitimate need for your services. You can do this through case studies or demonstrations.
Think of those cheesy “As Seen on TV” infomercials. What’s one of the first shots you see? It’s a person struggling with a seemingly simple task, followed by some variation of “it doesn’t have to be this way!” Smash cut to the super product on display, solving the problems of the subjects in the advertisement. Is it a bit cliche and cheesy? Certainly. Is it effective? Absolutely.
#2: Social proof is powerful
If you have a growing community of friends with a lot of social offering, use that to your advantage. Get pictures of people using your product, or have them tell stories of the service they received. People respond to other people. If they see their friends using and enjoying a product they are more likely to try that product. A strong social presence does wonders for the technical side of your digital marketing, but it really earns it keep in the social proof department. There’s no substitute for satisfied customers.
#3: Sell your words and images
The art of persuasion is trying to influence others into following your words, so try and sell your words and images by adding positive words around them. Persuasive language builds anticipation and desire in your prospects. Deployed carefully, it can be the push needed to build a relationship for the future.
Everything in your marketing will be associated with your product and service. Think carefully about colors, words, and images. Look at one of the best in marketing – Apple.
They associated their product with images of Einstein, John Lennon, and other iconic figures. It gave their brand a strong association with revolutionary thinkers and figures, and helped them build a relationship with their aspirational customers.
#4: Be consistent with your word
What you are will show in what you do – Thomas Edison
It’s always tempting to make your claims just a bit bigger and a bit more exciting, but that’s a slippery slope. After a few rounds of revisions, you go from promising to save customers hundreds of dollars a year to saving them tens of thousands with your service – but if you can’t follow up with that in real life, you will lose customers. People want to know what they are getting, so don’t oversell.
Sell what you do and what you offer, and follow through.
#5: Be the expert you already are
People are strongly influenced by industry leaders and experts. Use your knowledge to your advantage to establish yourself has the authority you really are. You’ll earn more followers and grow your fan base.
Maybe you aren’t the leading expert in your field. It’s ok. Share what you know, what you learn, and how you grow. People can relate to growth and learning. You don’t want to come across as dumb, but the quickest way to look dumb is to try and act like you know more than you do. Be honest. Be real.
How to be an expert
You can show your expertise in numerous ways. One of the best is an email newsletter. You can review industry news, offer short opinions, and curate great content that demonstrates you are on the leading edge of the industry.
Your social presence is another great place to show how well-versed you are. Tweet interesting questions, stay involved with industry discussions, and disseminate news instantly to your followers.
#6: Advertise scarcity
Telling people that you’re about out of a product or saying there is a limited time offer triggers people to respond. People naturally want to buy things that they cannot have, or think may be running out. The scarcity principle is well-known in marketing and economics. As supply dwindles, demand tends to increase.
You can create scarcity with your marketing. Try bundling products or services for a limited time, or running special offers like free shipping.
The Art of Persuasion
Using psychology to motivate your target audience is a form of persuasion.
Although hard to master, being able to effectively use persuasion to your advantage is extremely beneficial to your marketing efforts.
If you’re consistent with your word and deliver what you tell people you’re going to give them, they will be more likely to listen and respond well to your requests. You may not always be able to get exactly what you want, but you’ll have a far better chance at succeeding than failing if you practice these techniques.