Psychology Hacks to Boost your Marketing

We all have the same primitive part of the brain.

We all have the same primitive part of the brain.

It’s called the amygdala, it controls our gut reactions & emotions

We all have the same primitive part of the brain.

It’s called the amygdala, it controls our gut reactions & emotions

It works much faster than our conscious mind

We have gut reactions in 3 seconds or fewer.

Emotions make a more lasting imprint than rational thoughts.

We have gut reactions in 3 seconds or fewer.

Emotions make a more lasting imprint than rational thoughts.

We have gut reactions in 3 seconds or fewer.

Emotions are processed 5 times faster than conscious thoughts.

So keep this in mind when it comes to your marketing: People don’t buy products or services.

Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/3032675/hit-the-ground-running/5-psychological-tactics-marketers-use-to-influence-consumer-behavior

So keep this in mind when it comes to your marketing: People don’t buy products or services.

Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/3032675/hit-the-ground-running/5-psychological-tactics-marketers-use-to-influence-consumer-behavior

People buy answers to problems, solutions to needs, pathways to wants or a secret door to their heart's desires. It’s not a costume, it’s becoming a superhero.

Aim for the gut reaction

Use words and images that create excitement, urgency or even low-grade anxiety.

Marguerite’s cat Bombalurina, takes a selfie

Promote exclusivity Near the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid sits self-esteem. People want to feel important, like they’re part of an exclusive group. That’s why advertising copy sometimes says:

"We’re not for everyone."

Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/3032675/hit-the-ground-running/5-psychological-tactics-marketers-use-to-influence-consumer-behavior

Help customers break “action paralysis”. Research by professor Robert Ciadini showcased how adding a minimum to a request increased donations for the American Cancer Society by 78%

Set minimums

Brandon’s dog, Riley, jumping through hoops and throwing shade

Remove the stress of potential roadblocks

Remind your customers how easy it is to get started (no payment for the first month, etc).

Invoke the power of labels

Most people would say that they don’t like to be labeled. Individualism is certainly a strong trait that many people believe in …or think they believe in.

Fact is, labeling and encouraging association to a specific social group has shown to increase people’s participation and interest.

In a behavioral study examining voting patterns, researchers found that people who were randomly labeled as “politically active” were 15% more likely to vote.

Despite the fact that they were randomly chosen, the label ended up affecting their actions. Label your customers as a part of a superior group and their actions will reflect those characteristics.

Our brains love images

The primitive brain is particularly drawn to images of danger, sex and food.

But don’t overdo it in your marketing; the jury is still out on whether a sexy bikini-clad motocrosser eating a cheeseburger gets more conversions. (Ladies, send any photos of that nature to our COOl, Bill, would love to see that. Send any photos of that nature to Bill@MovingTargets.com)

Our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text. 90% of all data that the brain processes is visual.

We comprehend and remember pictures with text more than text alone.

We comprehend and remember pictures with text more than text alone.

How could you possibly forget these faces?

Design for scanning

79% scan online content rather than reading it word for word.

Design for scanning

79% scan online content rather than reading it word for word. 100,500 digital words consumed by the average US consumer daily.

Use a strong title and interesting hook to hand your audience the information you want them to have.

Frame messages as a story

Show faces

Natural selection favored humans who were able to quickly identify threats to build relationships. We’re all able to do that today by simply reading facial expressions.

Human beings are hard-wired from birth to identify the human face.

Part of the brain that processes images is right next to the area that processes emotions.

All images of faces grab our attention, but babies light up emotion receptors.

Consider using a face that looks toward your call to action. Close-ups work best and eye-tracking studies show we’ll look where they’re looking.

Speaking of calls to action… If a call to action creates urgency or fear, people will block it out unless they have specific follow-up instructions.

Here’s how 1. Prime to act with a sense of urgency 2. Give instructions on what to do in order to get started 3. Assure that peers already use the service for their own benefit

Color matters There is more to color choice than what looks good. Different colors send different signals to our brains.

84.7% of consumers cite color as the primary reason they buy a product.

Personality/Emotions: - Evokes strong emotions - Encourages appetite - Increases passion and intensity In Marketing: - Increases heart rate - Used by restaurants to stimulate appetite - Creates urgency; often seen in clearance sales -Used for impulsive shoppers

Yellow Personality/Emotions: -Increases cheerfulness, warmth - Causes fatigue and eye strain - Makes babies cry - Stimulates mental process and central nervous system - Encourages communication In Marketing: - Represents optimism, youth - Used to grab attention of window shoppers - Shows clarity

Blue Personality/Emotions: -Associated with water/peace -Most preferred by men -Represents calmness or serenity -Curbs appetite -Increases productivity In Marketing: -Signals productivity -Often used in corporate business because it’s not invasive -Creates sense of security and trust in a brand

Orange Personality/Emotions: -Reflects excitement, enthusiasm -Shows warmth -Warns of caution

In marketing: -Signifies aggression -Creates call to action: buy, sell, subscribe -Attracts impulsive shoppers -Represents a friendly, cheerful, confident brand

Green Personality/Emotions: -Constitutes health, tranquility -Symbolizes money -Denotes nature, new growth -Alleviates depression -Envy, jealousy guilt In marketing: -Used to relax in stores -Associates with wealth -Green M&M’s are said to send a sexual message -Has long been a symbol of fertility

Purple Personality/Emotions: -Showed royalty, wealth, success, wisdom -Mystery, moodiness In marketing: -Often used in beauty or anti-aging products -Used to soothe or calm -Represents a creative, imaginative, wise brand

Got it? Let’s recap

1. Trigger emotional responses 2. Sell benefits, not features 3. Promote exclusivity 4. Make it easy on your customers 5. Use images to contextualize and

reinforce copy 6. Tell stories 7. Support call to actions 8. Colors are more than just pretty

things to look at