Psychology and marketing have lots of connection points. The similarity is rather obvious: real psychologists have patients while retailers have to deal with customers. It is difficult to captivate the attention of visitors on a website. Especially now, when people are used to tons of various commercial offers they get every day. Some potential customers will not even read your advertising messages. This is why it is important to know basic psychology and little psychology tricks to attract and focus the attention.
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One of the basic principles of marketing psychology is that people prefer buying things from people they like. A study by Jerry M. Burger, a professor at Santa Clara University, and his colleagues showed that people are more inclined to trust and like those with whom they share some personal trait, even such minor things as names or birthdays. Let us delve a bit into the psychology of selling.
But how do you get people to actually like you? How do you flirt with a customer? First of all, sell what you are interested in. Passionate speeches full of enthusiasm are always interesting to listeners. Suggestion can be a powerful tool, too. The suggestion of a product provided in the right place, at the right moment suddenly seems more valuable to a customer. So, learn how to flirt to convert with the following tips.
Make the Addressee Feel Special
Just like when flirting romantically, your goal is to make the person feel special. Your company will stand out if you show that you care about your customers, more than just about their money. There are lots of ways to do this while inspiring a customer loyalty.
Create Benefits for Loyal Customers
Don’t hesitate to create special advantages for customers that keep coming back to you. A free cup of coffee, a lovely postcard, or a tiny gift cost mere cents. At the same time, those small things show that you care. It is a simple way to flirt and convert your visitors into actual customers. Moreover, this will differentiate your company from competitors.
Be Careful About Choice of Words
During the sales process, it is important to keep an eye on the way you communicate. No one would want to buy from a rude person that leaves a negative impression. Everything is important here. The same thing said in different ways can be perceived differently.
Let us consider the framing effect, for instance. In one study, participants were asked if they would support an economic policy decision. Participants were asked if they would support a policy that would lead to 90% employment, or one that would lead to 10% unemployment. And of course, the former option won more support, despite both having the same meaning.
Be Honest
The best way to find a solution to a problem is to meet it face on. If there are issues with your product, you should work them out immediately. Do not wait for buyers to start complaining. You are obliged to provide them with an impeccable service. If a technical problem occurs, let them know and save your reputation.
For example, when you know about a potential delay with delivery, you would do well to inform the recipients beforehand, thus inspiring more trust to your business. Actions speak louder than words. No matter what obstacle you face, you should keep your promises and fulfill your duties. Especially when it comes to your life’s business. The rule is simple: if you cannot keep your word – do not give it.
Psychology Tricks for Successful Sales
Any guide for door to door salesman tips contains one pretty important point – never try to force a customer to buy something right away. People are naturally suspicious and rarely trust strangers. You need to introduce your company and let the visitor get comfortable first. A banner with a “BUY IT NOW” slogan is not enough to inspire the desire to spend.
You need to give people an understanding of why they need to purchase. Go personal, describe what problems your products can solve, and of course, what customers will gain by buying them. Do not hesitate to appeal to emotions. These influence the decisions made by people quite often. Especially when it comes to loss aversion. This is the fear of losing something that one already owns, or believes they own.
Robert Cialdini, a psychology and marketing professor at Arizona State University, is famous for developing a theory of influence. Let us take a look at the six fascinating psychology principles that can be helpful in sales:
1. Reciprocity
This concept is about feeling obliged to do something for people who give or do something for us, especially if it is free. Most people feel obliged if they receive even the smallest favor. For instance, if you are running an online store, you can offer some free additional services or small gifts with each purchase without notifying the buyer beforehand.
2. Social Proof
In other words, here we are talking about the so-called “herd mentality”. People tend to do what others around them do. And how can you sell something using this principle? Cialdini noticed that in hotels people tend to react to notices like “75% of our visitors reuse towels” more than to ones that sound like “Please, reuse towels as it helps to preserve the environment”. And this is why it is important to have user reviews on your website.
3. Scarcity
Did you ever notice the “limited supply left” tags on products in shops? Or ‘One day till the end of the sale”? Basically, this is what scarcity is. Such displays serve to create a sense of urgency.
The psychology of selling advises us to be careful with wording, though. If you phrase it like there were a myriad of products, and it has such a great success that only a few are left, people will buy it. But know your limits and use this method wisely.
4. Authority
The basics of psychology postulate that most people are inclined to trust authority figures. Show yourself to be an experienced professional through your writing. Give your ideas names and labels, present them with evidence. They must look presentable, since nobody cares about a stranger’s opinion. One of the social psychology examples is when the companies use ads starring celebrities or famous experts to promote their products.
5. Anchoring
When we see a range of options, first the anchor is perceived and everything that goes next is compared to it. For instance, when you see a pair of shoes for $100 in a shopping mall, and the next day find the same one on Internet only for $50.
Selling tip: this may come in handy when you are running a sale. Just put the reduced price next to the original and enjoy the way this psychological trick works for you.
6. Decoy Effect
Another method of psychological influence in sales is called the decoy effect. People experience it when they are inclined to change their choice between two options when a third, less profitable one is presented. In one of his TED talks, Dan Ariely describes an ad from The Economist displaying their subscription packages:
- Online subscription – $59
- Print subscription – $125
- Online and print subscription – $125
Dan tried to ask the company’s employees why they had such curious prices but didn’t get a coherent answer. So he ran a test with 100 of MIT students, asking them to choose one of the three subscription options. 84 of them chose the last option, and the rest chose the first one. But when he removed the second option, only 32 students picked the last one.
And just like that, the “useless” at a first sight variant turned out to be sensible.
The Psychology of Selling: Conclusion
The sales process is only 5% about the actual sale and 95% about building relationships with customers.
People hate being deceived. You should not only present your product in a good light but also reveal some flaws. And trust us, this is a good idea since nothing in this world is perfect and everyone knows it. Try to pose your product as something perfect and people will get suspicious. Did psychology help you with your profits yet? If not, be more honest about your business and watch customers come back to your store over and over again.
