recall information about their brand and even influence purchase . Car manufacturers for example can take advantage of priming to influence purchase behavior . Green elements on a web page can be used to influence price-conscious customers to buy a car model that is known for being pocket friendly .
Anchoring
This is typically used in sales contexts where a seller ‘ anchors ’ an initial price and juxtaposes it to a discounted price . In some cases , the seller may even include the percentage discount . This helps the buyer fully appreciate the advantage being gained at the time as compared to simply stating ‘ discounted prices ’ and will likely influence them to buy the item .
Clustering
Most people on average remember about seven pieces of information at a time . To cope , most people group or cluster pieces of information together . So , for example , when grocery shopping , rather than try to remember milk , cheese , and yoghurt it is easier to remember dairy . Content marketers use this principle to present information to users . By clustering important pieces of information about your product , company , etc ., customers retain more information . This is generally executed through headings , sub-headings , and bullet points .
Loss Aversion
Nobody likes to lose something ; even losing something as simple as a pen can be frustrating though it may be easy to replace . Marketers use loss aversion in instances such as timed free trials . After the period is up , the user can only continue to enjoy the benefits after making payments for the same . Medium , an online publishing platform , for example , employs loss aversion by allowing a user indiscriminate access to all articles on the platform for a period of one month after which one would have to pay a subscription fee to continue enjoying the benefits of their articles .
Color Psychology
Color psychology explains why people associate colors with certain feelings and ideas . Color is a potent marketing tool as one can use existing color associations to help customers develop a positive attitude toward your products and organization . Blue is associated with trust and longevity ,
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Understanding someone ’ s motivations , pain points , and solutions sought is critical to the development and marketing of products . Marketing psychology seeks to determine the why behind product purchase and not just the superficial what .
red with speed and desire , green with productivity and growth , amongst others . Well used , colors positively influence brand perception and ultimately can convert into sales .
Social Proof
Social proof is the theory that people will adopt the beliefs or actions of a group of people they like or trust . For products and companies that have over time proven their credibility and have built trust amongst many , this is a principle that can be leveraged .
When potential customers see their many trusted friends and acquaintances preferring your product , they too are likely to trust your brand . Additionally , marketers can use experts , influencers , or celebrities to show proof of brand credibility .
Scarcity
Most psychologists would agree that humans place a higher value on things that are harder to obtain . Customers are more likely to make buy if they believe that there are a few products left that must be bought within a limited time , at a certain price or both . “ Only X tickets at Y price . Buy before they are sold out ,” is an example of employing scarcity .
Verbatim Effect
The verbatim effect refers to people ’ s predisposition to remember a summary of what they read or heard , rather than a verbatim account of that information . For this reason , when developing content , especially written content , it should be easy for a reader to scan . Attention spans are shorter than ever before , it ’ s advised to break content into headings , subheadings and points that make it easier for the reader to digest . Be quick to the point and make it easy for the reader to know what the communication is about .
The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon
This happens after someone encounters something for the first time and then continuously notices it thereafter . This phenomenon , also known as ‘ frequency illusion ,’ is caused by two processes . The first is selective attention whereby one tends to subconsciously focus on a new thing after it has been introduced . The second is confirmation bias , our natural tendency to prove that the impression is greatly significant because it is seemingly everywhere . For marketers , this phenomenon is important . Once someone notices your brand by taking an action like clicking on a related link , it ’ s important that they see you ‘ everywhere .’ Advertising algorithms can help support this effort of ensuring your communications are at the fore of customers and potential customers .
Whilst this list is not exhaustive , it represents some marketing psychology principles which if leveraged gives brands a better chance for recognition and adoption . Additionally , it helps marketers to determine the best ways to communicate with their customers and potential customers in ways that truly resonate with them .
Before employing these principles , it is best to have a deep understanding of the business , its marketing strategy and most importantly customers . Organizations should be relentless in efforts to understand their customers and their behavior as this is the basis of marketing psychology . One is advised also , to be selective when using these principles and to avoid using too many at once , watering down effectiveness .
Marion Wakahe is a marketing professional who is passionate about business growth and sustainability and its role in peoples ’ empowerment . She is of the opinion that the marketing function is the primary driver of business growth . You can engage with her via email : MWakahe @ gmail . com .