Marketing Psychology: 3 Timeless Principles That Influence Audience Behavior

Have you ever wondered what really makes your audience tick?

Marketing psychology is the scientific study of human behavior as it relates to marketing campaigns. The goal is to better understand how people make choices -and why - so that marketers like ourselves can create messaging that resonates and motivates action.

Why is it so important? It's one of the fundamental principles of marketing that gives you a competitive edge over others in the online world. It builds trust - and it builds it fast.

You see, I run a school teaching how to market to hearts through positive impact marketing (it's called Alt Marketing School).

Positive impact marketing is a framework we curated at AMS rooted in purpose, relationship-building techniques, and marketing psychology, helping to build meaningful relationships with your customers.

Selfishly, I wanted to create a framework that truly represented what, in my eyes, great marketing should be.

If you don't understand the psychological drivers that motivate your audience to take action, you'll miss out on opportunities to create compelling messaging and effective campaigns.

In this post, we'll cover three key principles that can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and build trust in an increasingly skeptical world.

It All Starts with Behavioral Economics

You know what's interesting? We humans have these mental shortcuts called heuristics that help us make decisions quickly. It's like our brains are always trying to find the easiest way out. But here's the catch: these shortcuts can lead to biases, which means our decision-making might not always be as logical as we think.

Enter behavioral economics. This field gives us insights into why consumers might choose the unexpected. It's like a backstage pass to the mind of the consumer. Robert Cialdini covered a lot of this first in his book Influence, paving the way for the future of marketing.

Now, how can we marketers harness this knowledge? Well, it's all about understanding the psychology behind decision-making and using it to guide consumers towards the behaviors we desire. Think of yourself as a gentle influencer, gently nudging people in the right direction.

• One trick we have up our sleeves is framing. It's like presenting a dish in a fancy restaurant. The way you describe it can make a huge difference in how people perceive it. The same goes for marketing. By framing our offerings in a positive light, we can make them more appealing to our target audience. It's like serving up a delectable plate of persuasion.
• Choice architecture is another secret weapon. We can design the way choices are presented to steer people towards specific decisions. Ever wondered why some websites have a default option already selected for you? That's choice architecture in action! By carefully crafting the options, we can gently guide consumers towards the outcome we desire.

Behavioral economics studies how we can create marketing campaigns, pricing strategies, and user experiences that align with consumer decision-making tendencies and how we tend to act. Once we understand that, we can then tap into other principles, like psychological triggers.

Decision Making and Psychological Triggers

You know, understanding decision-making is like having a superpower in the world of marketing. It allows us to tailor our strategies to influence those decisions. We become the masters of persuasion, using our knowledge to create experiences that resonate with our target audience.

As consumers, we are constantly bombarded with marketing messages that try to communicate the benefits of different products or services. Marketers use various persuasion tactics to encourage us to make decisions in their favor, like scarcity marketing.

Psychological triggers refer to the stimuli that influence our thoughts, emotions, and behavior. In marketing, these triggers are used to influence consumer behavior and encourage them to buy products or services. Understanding psychological triggers can help us better understand the decision-making process and make better choices.

Our brains are wired to respond to certain triggers, such as scarcity or exclusivity. Marketers use this to their advantage by creating messaging that plays into our natural tendencies. By doing so, they can increase the chances of us making a purchase.

For example, let's talk about reciprocity—the art of giving to receive.

Have you ever been handed a free sample at a market and suddenly felt a strong urge to buy something from the stall? It's like we're wired to feel indebted when someone does something nice for us. This s why value and incentives, like free resources or personalized gifts, create a perceived sense of obligation.

But here's the cool part: we can use reciprocity to our advantage too. As marketers or business owners, we can offer value upfront, not just to manipulate, but to genuinely help our customers. When we provide free resources, exclusive discounts, or personalized gifts, it's not just about making a sale—it's about building trust and forming a genuine connection. Plus, who doesn't love a little something extra, right?

Another tactic is to offer a free trial or sample, which can activate our reciprocity bias - the idea that if we're given something, we feel obligated to give something back.

Understanding Cognitive Biases

Have you ever bought something you didn't really need, just because everyone else was buying it? Or have you ever been convinced to pay more for a product because it was displayed next to a more expensive option?

These are just a couple of examples of the cognitive biases that we are all susceptible to.

These are essentially mental shortcuts that we use to make decisions quickly and easily. They can be helpful in some situations, but they can also lead us astray and result in irrational decision-making.

One principle of social proof, for instance, is a cognitive bias that can be a highly effective marketing tool. This principle refers to the fact that people are more likely to do something if they see others doing it. A testimonial wall of love is a great example of social proof, building organic and unfiltered trust through your customers' voice.

Other cognitive biases that can influence consumer behavior include:

• the anchoring effect, where our judgments are influenced by the first piece of information we receive
• loss aversion, where we often place more value on avoiding losses than gaining benefits
• the bandwagon effect, where we are more likely to do something if we believe others are doing it too

Let's say you are out shopping for a new phone and stumbled upon an amazing deal—the phone you want, plus a bunch of cool accessories, all bundled together at a fantastic price. No-brainer! The initial anchor of the great deal makes you think, "Wow, this is such a steal!" , especially when compared to the price of the phone and accessories on their own without the discount, boosting conversion.

Understanding biases and how they impact consumer decision-making is essential for marketers who want to create successful marketing campaigns. By using these biases strategically and ethically, marketers can build deeper relationships with their audience by understanding how the human mind works.

How Marketing Psychology Affects us

The next time you find yourself making a purchase, pause for a moment and reflect. What triggered your decision? Was it the fear of missing out, the lure of exclusivity, or perhaps the sense of reciprocity?

Now, let's get one thing straight: we're all about using these psychological tactics ethically. We're not here to manipulate or trick anyone. Instead, we want to guide our audience in a conscious and purposeful way. It's all about helping them make the best decision based on their needs and pain points. No smoke and mirrors here!

Think about it: when we know what makes our audience tick, we can craft marketing campaigns that speak directly to them. It's like having a personal conversation with each individual.

By understanding the human brain, we can create messages that resonate deeply, addressing their desires, fears, and aspirations.

Remember, positive impact is a superpower.

Let's use it to build trust, establish meaningful connections, and make a positive impact on our audience. When we approach marketing with empathy and integrity, we can create campaigns that truly resonate and make a difference. So, let's swap persuasion for conscious direction and elevate the marketing game.