Business profits rely on customer engagement, and active marketers constantly look for new tools, technology, and trends to tap into unexplored segments. However, many of them fail despite multiple efforts because they fail to understand human behavior.
A marketer needs to understand the psychology of the target audience. Marketing campaigns that resonate with the target audience on a deeper level drive unimaginable sales, foster loyalty, and result in sustainable growth.
No marketing campaign can work to its complete potential without understanding human behavior. A human mind is ruled by emotions and biases. Your customer might be wishing for belonging, needing validation, or fearing missing out (FOMO) on something. Almost all human psychological tendencies are predictable. Just pay extra attention and take advantage of your customer’s mental shortcuts.
Try to understand what motivates your ideal customer and craft your message accordingly. Either build your products or experiences on these lines or present them in such a way that your customers feel motivated.
You can keep pushing your products in the name of marketing. You will have to build an emotional connection with your audience by planning your marketing strategy based on behavioral psychology principles.
Below are seven solid reasons why you must understand human behavior to make complete use of your marketing strategy.
1. Herd Mentality
We like to be social, so much so that we start to behave in certain ways we see others behaving at times. Build your marketing strategy to leverage the power of social proof.
Your ideal customer will start buying and using your products when they see others are using and enjoying them as well. Take advantage of the herd mentality and win their trust in your brand.
Tips
- Reviews and Testimonials: Design your website with positive customer reviews and testimonials placed in a prominent space. Multiple research studies claim that over 90% of customers make purchases based on online reviews.
- User-Generated Content: Engage with your satisfied customers and request them to share their experiences of using your brand on social media. When they do, repost it from your official accounts. This is how you create a community of your best customers and build authenticity around your brand.
- Endorsements: Another way to leverage the power of social media is by collaborating with influencers or industry leaders. When they share opinions on your product with their trusted followers, more people start to engage with your brand.
2. Scarcity Principle
When something is scarce, a state of urgency comes up. You can use the same principle to drive sales. Keep the supply of your premium products short so that your target audience starts desiring to purchase them when you sell the next batch.
People don’t want to miss out on something that comes in short supply. They might have to wait for a long or may not get it even in the next lot. That’s a big fear. Isn’t It? A sense of scarcity compels them to decide and purchase quickly. It’s one of the most effective ways to encourage immediate purchases.
Tips
- Time-bound Offers: Build a sense of urgency in the mind of your ideal customer by showing offers for a limited time, like flash sales and exclusive promotions with countdown timers. When people see something in limited stock or available only for the next few hours, they quickly make purchase decisions.
- Exclusive Offers: Lure your target customers with VIP memberships or exclusive access to the latest range of products, special events or loyalty deals. While leveraging the scarcity principle, such offers boost your chances of sales with personalization and customer appreciation.
3. Customer Loyalty
Offer your customers something of value to build long-term customer loyalty. Upfront offers will encourage them to reciprocate by doing business with you.
Tips
- Free Trials: Identify your potential customers and offer them a free product sample or a free service trial. The free sample will create a psychological obligation for them to return your favor with a purchase.
- Content: Content pieces like eBooks and guides or clips of webinars often solve the problems of your customers. Offer these resources for free to gain their trust and build brand authority.
- Discounts: Retain your customers by regularly sending them discount coupons or exclusive deals. It will encourage repeat purchases.
4. Personalization
Even small businesses target a large group of audiences. However, each consumer expects you to communicate directly. Thus, you need to personalize your messaging and offers to cater to the specific needs of each consumer.
Read data and insights carefully to craft personalized content that grabs their attention and fosters long-term loyalty.
Tips
- Segmentation: Personalization is done effectively when you divide your large audience into smaller groups based on demographics and buying behaviors. It’s much easier to deliver relevant content to a segmented audience and each group.
- Flexibility: Be flexible and change the content of your emails, ads and websites according to the user’s behavior. Follow up with personalized recommendations if a user shows interest in a particular product.
- Retarget: If someone leaves your website abandoned, retarget with ads and personalized emails. Send such users reminders to bring them back to your website and encourage them with additional offers.
5. Cognitive Biases
Humans make decisions based on cognitive biases and you can influence your customers with the help of certain messages and experiences. Just observe how they think naturally and behave while making purchases.
Tips:
- Anchoring Bias: Anchor the first information to influence their decision-making. Show them a higher price first and then reduce it with discounts. It will appeal to the customers to make the purchase.
- Loss Aversion: Make your customers believe they might lose something if they miss the chance to purchase. Use phrases like “limited-time offers” and “don’t miss out” in your marketing messages.
- Framing Effect: Frame your message so that the customers feel they are getting incredible value with an unbelievable discount. Highlight the features to convince them to purchase.
6. Storytelling
Storytelling helps you connect with your audience at an emotional level. Make your story emotional and logic will take a backseat. Evoke the emotions of your target audience with your storytelling.
Tell them how you created the brand and wish to offer memorable customer experiences. Connect deeply with your ideal customer and see how it results in long-term loyalty.
Tips
- Customer Stories: Again, ask your satisfied customers to share stories of their experiences with your products. Take creative liberty and make these stories dramatic enough to let other potential customers relate to them.
- Brand Narrative: Weave a story around the values and aspirations of your target group. Think beyond selling your product and focus on the “why” they must choose your brand.
- Cause Marketing: Do charity. When you associate your brand with a cause, your true audience starts to care about you. Connect with their emotions to strengthen the bond.
7. Consistency and Commitment
Be consistent with your marketing efforts and make your customers commit to the smallest of actions first. Once they commit small actions like signing up for a newsletter, they stick to it. If nurtured well, these customers can make bigger commitments, like purchasing a product.
Tips
- Commitments: Start with small commitments like asking your target audience to read your blogs, subscribe to your YouTube channel, or download a free e-book. Later, take them to a bigger goal but do it gradually.
- Engagement: Follow your customer’s journey, slowly engaging them with a welcome email series and guides to new subscribers. Send them greetings on special occasions, tell them your brand story, and introduce product offerings.
