By Henry Brown
Understanding the psychology of purchasing offers an insight into sales that has been ingrained in common practices for a long time. But it also unveils why some strategies are so popular, and why those who don’t think about what makes customers want to do what they do lag behind. Here, we’re going to look at the psychological side, taking a closer look on the triggers that can lead customers to sales, and how your small business might be able to benefit from them.
Commitment
How do you get customers to commit? Isn’t that the whole question behind sales strategy in the first place? Here, we’re not talking about how to get them to commit, but rather, how to capitalize on commitment. Once they’ve put time or energy into a brand, they’re likely to put in more. As such, some take advantage by offering deals that are too hard to resist, like a free trial of a product or service. As such, if a customer finds that they like it after a trial, they’re much more likely to pay the money to keep using it. Consider making commitment either free or very low-cost, so you can capitalize on it when they keep up with that commitment.
Reciprocity
The standard transaction is that a customer gets something by paying for it in return. However, the truth is that the business always benefits more. We make a profit, and we also get the support and potential word of mouth from the customer. As such, thanking them is essential. Being reciprocal, knowing that they supported us and that they deserve our support in return, is a powerful psychological trigger. As such, the flames of customer loyalty are well fanned by little thank you goodies from providers like thepinfactory.com.au. Sometimes, the words “thank you” can be enough, but having something physical to go along with it can go a very long way, too.
Scarcity
This one is often thought of as something of a “dirty trick” when it’s intentionally used. Convertica.org shows that plenty of brands have used false scarcity tactics to make customers believe they only have a limited opportunity to buy into a product or a service. Many see through this false scarcity and are less likely to trust companies that rely on that tactic. However, if you do have a genuine scarcity of a certain product or service, then you have a trigger that is ready to be capitalized on. Bring attention to it with a sale or even a few social media posts and the FOMO effect can start to take hold of your customers, leading them to make sure that you get through your whole stock.
Social proof
It’s nothing new to comment that we’re living in a much more socially engaged world than ever before thanks to Twitter, Facebook, and the like. This has benefits and drawbacks for businesses, making both the good and bad easier to expose than ever. However, one of the greatest benefits is in positive social proof. Simply put, when people see that a business is supported by a large user base, or by certain trusted individuals, they are more likely to believe the business is therefore worth supporting. Influencer marketing is designed to capitalize on social proof directly, but social media marketing campaigns are basically one big social proof mining practice, so if you’re not on social media platforms, consider reaching out to teams like hellosocial.com.au.
Unity
The one trigger that’s most important when it comes to long-term support is unity. At the beginning, you’re selling a product or service. As time goes on, however, your most staunch supporters are buying into an identity. They feel like they belong to something that the brand represents. As such, you must do what you can to ensure that your brand is consistent with the values you espouse and to support members of your community who show the most support to you as well. A good example of a way to do this is to get involved with causes that your customers are likely to support and that your stated values align with.
Satisfaction
The last trigger, and the most important of all, is that your customers believe in the quality of product or service and are willing to keep investing in it. To ensure that, you have to make sure you’re not just relying on tricks, but are providing quality first and foremost.
_______
Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.
