Using brain science in marketing strategies may seem outlandish at first. Yet, this emerging phenomenon is a breath of fresh air that the field of marketing needs. It helps us understand why people click on something, and provides a deep insight into the area that was out of reach until recently. Neuroscience has a potential to revolutionize the marketing theory and practice, becoming one of the essential tools for anyone selling products or offering services online.
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The face value
The holy grail of neuromarketing is the subconscious. This vast, mysterious ocean is explored because it affects our buying decisions more than we would like to admit. It is only after making a purchase that we use conscious mind and rational reasons to justify the decision. Therefore, the key for marketers is to connect with the customer on an emotional level, using well-crafted brand messages. Furthermore, people’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.
A window of opportunity closes fast, and grabbing attention is not easy. Thus, a landing page is a moment of truth when customers must recognize the value of your products and services. Take full advantage of striking imagery, headlines and subheadings because these are the elements that stand out. The ease of processing information is crucial, and visual content feels more fluent. Still, it needs to be toned down, because the visual bombardment only gets in the way of conversions.
The thrill of the slide
Many ecommerce websites try to get a hold of persuasion slide. This is a simple model encompassing both the conscious and subconscious factors. So, imagine a children’s playground with a toboggan. The nudge in this case is the visual element that sparks attention. A customer’s motivation acts as gravity force enabling the slide. Finally, the slope and its angle are within your power. You want to make the slide slippery enough, so the greatest enemy is friction here.
It can be anything that might confuse or lead the consumer astray. Therefore, marketers and sellers must stay in tune with the gravity force, and adhere to customer needs and wants. Without this, a generic call to action with “subscribe now” inscription will not be worth a dime. You can make it big and impossible to miss, or hit the visitors with a pop-up. But, that is not the point. There are better ways to give people a push, and make them enjoy the slide.
Get the proof
To make this happen, display the number of subscribers so far. This is only one kind of subconscious motivator that relies on the bandwagon effect of the group behavior. Some websites steer away from these methods, but the truth is, they pay off in terms of conversions. The more times someone sees an ad or a pop-up, the more inclined he is to click on it. That is also when things like social proof should step in. A testimonial from a successful customer can be more valuable that a truckload of corporate ranting and boasting. It reminds us that we all make mistakes in thinking and decision-making. These are called the cognitive biases, and are the Achilles’ heel the marketers are looking for. They are the backbone of persuasion techniques, impacting the conversion rates on your website. This is not to say that neuromarketing it is a manipulation tool for deceiving customers. Things like this always backfire, even if they bring a temporary benefit. Hence, neuromarketing is all about smart ways of using the psychology of persuasion.
The same is true for case studies or an authority appeal provided by the relevant expert opinion. Furthermore, pay close attention to the way you display the price. The devil is always in the detail. Everything counts, form the currency symbol to the size of the font. If people can see the initial and the discount price, then they are more propelled to make a purchase. They tend to cling on the immediate payoff more than a later one. This is a great example of how a world of psychology can be incorporated into everyday digital marketing campaigns.
Make a name for yourself
Indeed, these best practices and killer techniques are great marketing tools. However, they are not silver bullets that work for every website. They must be complimented and elevated by the process of spreading brand awareness and recognition. The repetition of brand mentioning in the public discourse creates a self-reinforcing process. When your brand is referenced by others, people will think more highly of it. Social buzz is your greatest ally here because it will make customers trust you without second thoughts.
Emphasizing the success on the market is not an option for startups, but they can create connections with established companies. Your logo alongside corporate giant’s name would look good, would it not? The best thing about this is that a brand memory lasts way longer than ad memory. Moreover, the former affects consumer behavior much stronger due to a variety of brand associations. So, invest time and money in the brand design and development to reap all the benefits a good reputation and recognition can offer you.
A few clicks away
Despite their volatile attention, it is important to keep customers engaged for as long as possible. This can be done with good design and handy information that dispel the people’s fear of the unknown. Still, notice that no matter how useful it might be, too much data overwhelms visitors. Our brain always takes the easy way out if it can. When someone has to think about what to do next, he tends to jump the boat. So, make the text easy to read with simple font (like Arial) and create digestible chunks of information.
Articles must appear readable, not jammed together. Embrace the art of simplicity and give people a break from the overwhelming and aggressive visuals. Ultimately, customers must feel comfortable when they are making an online purchase or submitting personal data in lead generation. Complex forms that have to filled and counter intuitive website navigation are to be eliminated. If, on the other hand, visitors can complete a transaction with just a few clicks, the result is a considerable boost in conversion rates.
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Guest Author: Raul Harman
Raul Harman is a B.Sc. in Innovative entrepreneurship and has a lot to say about innovations in all aspects of digital technology and online marketing. While he's not enjoying football and great food, you can find him on Technivorz.com.
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