These psychological triggers are borrowed from Robert Cialdini’s book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” – a must-read if you work in marketing or sales.
Marketing is inherently linked to psychology and psychological triggers. These triggers drive everything from buying behaviour to brand loyalty. It’s the job of the marketer to get into the minds of their intended target audience to elicit a positive response. In doing so, the brands they’re working for will become more successful.
Manipulative? Not so much. It’s simply human nature and understanding how to interact with people so that they value one brand over another.
7 Psychological Triggers
Reciprocity
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. As humans, we feel obligated to return the favour if someone is generous. Set up a “buy 1, get 1 free” offer on your website.
Commitment & Consistency
If people try something for free, they’re less likely to return it. Boost your website’s conversion rate with a free 30-day return so your customers think: “If I don’t like it, I can just return it!” In most cases, they’ll like it, keep it, and come back or refer a friend.
Liking
People like people they can relate to. Tell your brand or brand owner’s story on your “About Us” page and make sure it’s authentic.
Authority
People trust experts who endorse a brand – especially when their values align with the brand’s values. This is why influencer marketing remains so effective.
Social Proof
People pay attention to others’ recommendations and trust websites more if they include reviews. A healthy social media following will also help!
Scarcity
Scarcity and FOMO are timeless eCommerce tactics. Nobody wants to miss out on good opportunities or deals. Run a sale and see for yourself.
Risk Removal
Eliminate every objection a shopper could have when visiting your site, e.g. include a “no questions asked money-back guarantee”. As long as your product’s quality is high, they won’t take you up on the offer. high, they won’t take you up on the
By having these triggers in mind, it makes it easier for marketers to communicate with their customers. Similarly, it makes creating an effective strategy that much easier as you know the end goal of every message. You have probably already been making use of many of these psychological triggers without knowing it. However, if you know then it makes completing your marketing goals simpler.
