In his book “Effective Decision Making”, John Adair sheds light on the role of conscious and unconscious decision-making and discusses the harmony between rational and emotional decisions.
Every decision that one takes has logical and emotional reasoning that may be conscious or unconscious. You don’t necessarily need to think of avoiding fast driving consciously, right?
The human mind is complex and as an effective marketer, shouldn’t you learn to decode it?
We are all out there trying to make sales. People sell all sorts of things, from products to content. But, successful selling demands a thorough understanding of how buyers decide in favor of or against the product on sale.
How about we solve the puzzle and investigate the art of decision-making?
Develop the Desire to Return a Favor
We are reluctant to take favors or seek help, unless necessary. Even when borrowing, we feel an innate desire to return it ASAP and second guess if we need it. This human desire to reciprocate is the key to effective marketing and sales.
The rule is simple: give something of value to the user and receive something of value to the company. For example, some websites display pop-ups within a few seconds without giving website visitors the chance to explore the content.
On the contrary, some websites let you spend sufficient time, allowing you to decide whether to sign up for the newsletter or not.
Start by providing value to potential customers. For example, you might want to post a few recipes for free to trigger the need for the frozen yogurt you are selling.
Or, maybe post screenshots and videos of the mobile apps you have developed. A short form that generates quotes immediately is another excellent idea to engage website visitors.
Fostering consumers’ interests is essential for boosting sales and the key to highly-engaged consumers is valuable content. Maybe people want to read your newsletter before signing up for it or may wish to see video testimonials before buying the product. It’s a give and take!
Foster the Fear of Threat and Scarcity
Fear is one of the most powerful emotions, best utilized by marketers in different ways to stimulate sales. Let’s explore how!
Every product aims at solving a problem. Let’s take the example of an everyday product: a sulfate-free shampoo that prevents dandruff and soothes an itchy scalp.
Now marketers intensify the atrocities of dandruff in their advertisements to make people look for its solutions. Similarly, an offline mobile app is useful without an internet connection. Thus, marketers highlight the possibilities of weak or no internet connection.
Trigger the need for your product by magnifying the problems it attempts to solve.
Also, people want things that are rare. Many people drool over diamonds because they are unique and high in demand. That demand was created by clever marketers.
Similarly, one feels inclined to buy products that have limited stock as it reflects people’s interest in buying them. Therefore, websites cultivate a sense of scarcity to create urgency in the consumers’ minds.
People like products that are running out of stock or are best sellers.
“Nothing creates cool like scarcity” – Neil Blumenthal, Co-Founder of Warby Parker
Build Trust and Credibility
Would you rather trust a company that has been in business for years with several satisfied clients or a seller with no ties? You’ve got the answer!
Your website must build the company’s credibility and encourage potential customers to make a purchase. This includes providing a proper postal address, phone number, email address, and other contact details.
Include testimonials and reviews of clients so that interested people can decide accordingly. Make sure you talk about things that your product is not capable of doing or services that are not included in the package.
Also, update your products and pricing to highlight your seriousness in the business. For example, a Christmas offer in February will only push customers away for obvious reasons.
People connect to human faces, such as your employees’, customers’, or other team members’. Including their photos makes you appear legit and unconsciously fosters reliability.
Tip: Use numbers and figures, such as the number of completed projects.
Developing and managing a website is a huge responsibility as it speaks for the company’s credibility and reflects its persona. Your website must be smart enough to trigger the right emotions that boost sales. An abundance of data can be useless if it doesn’t trigger the right emotions.