How to tap into the customer buying psyche?
Trying a thousand ways to market your product or service to consumers out there, but failing miserably to get into their heads? The consumer buying instinct is a complex blend but very easy to understand at the same time.The key is to realise that, it’s both the conscious and the subconscious that drives buying decisions.
For the last many decades, marketing research has relied on the idea that people make decisions based on rational conscious thinking. What the science is proving now is completely opposite to the fundamental belief– most purchase decision making happens at the non-conscious level.
People are complex and we are just beginning to scratch the surface of what they really want. Some tests have shown that people prefer items on the right or at the bottom of the list.. why? We don’t know yet. Sometimes we make buying decisions even when we aren’t paying attention to the products. Neuroscience is still working on the answers, but there are some solid results obtained when it comes to consumer perception.
Lets understand what perception truly is?
Perception is basically how you interpret and perceive the things happening around you, and make sense of it in your brain. A response is generated through stimuli that affect your different senses — sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. How you combine these senses also makes a difference. Hence, the preference and
“Perceptions are variable and may not be the absolute truth, but its affects on an individual are real”
In the past have you ever heard or read about a certain something and then suddenly started seeing advertisements and information regarding it popping up everywhere? That’s because your perception has become heightened by a subconscious need generation. That is one way for your brain to push you into making a purchase.
The rush of shock advertising
Using the element of surprising or scandalizing information is known as shock advertising. It has been very popular in todays age. Companies like Benetton and Calvin Klein are very well known for their shocking advertising. Calvin Klein sparked an uproar when it featured scantily dressed teens in its ads. There’s evidence that shock advertising actually works, though. One study found that shocking content increased attention, benefited memory, and positively influenced behaviour.
The subtle act of Subliminal advertising
Subliminal advertising is the opposite of shock advertising. It involves exposing consumers to relevant marketing stimuli — photos, ads, message by stealthily embedding them in movies, ads, and other media. For example, actors might be flashed for a millisecond eating or using any product on a movie screen. Consumers here perceive the information subconsciously, and the next time a need generates or they see the product on the shelf, it would make them buy those products
How to fashion the perfect blend for success
The risk is that even if your marketing tactics reaches consumers out there and they retain it, different consumers can perceive it differently. This is because each of them has a different personality, but a set of people can be driven by a certain stimuli. Just like if you show many people the same product, you’ll get two different perceptions of it. A category of woman see a luxurious Louis Vuitton purse, and the other see an overpriced bag to hold money, keys and makeup. One set of individuals can see a gooey cheesy hamburger , and the other can be put off by the amount of grease and calories in it.
That is the chance you have to take! Its all about targeting the most relevant potential customers and understanding their psyche according to their age , sex , location, financial status and cultural inclinations. You can then apply a combination of the above marketing strategies to get the message across. Its always a trial and error method — marketing. But in the age of viral content taking an unknown brand to worldwide fame in the matter of days, your chances have improved drastically.
But there are more dependable marketing tools like reviews which are driven by relatability and honesty. Having a strong positive review base and social media presence along with the right marketing angle gets your brand the recognition and sales it deserves.
“Consumer psyche is a game of how you play with their perceptions. Perceptions that lead to actual sales. Perceptions which unlike personality, you can mass categorize and easily tap into with a single stroke”
Now that all this research has got your mental juices whirring and flowing, understand and implement fast. Just get cracking already!
