🪄5 Influential Marketing Psychology Tactics & How To Use Them Responsibly

Hey business owners,

Ever notice how our minds love shortcuts and routines?

How we’re most comfortable in situations where we know what happens next?

Turns out the human brain can process 11 million bits of information every second but our conscious minds can only handle 40 to 50 bits.

The result? We filter out most information and rely on shortcuts for remembering, problem-solving, and decision-making.

When it comes to planning your business’ marketing, being aware of what some of these common mental shortcuts your customer takes can help you understand, predict, and guide their behaviors in your favor.

In today’s newsletter, you’ll learn five of the most popular influential marketing principles businesses of all sizes use and how you can use them responsibly for good (not evil) for your business.

In 10 minutes or less, you’ll learn:

✅ what marketing principles are

✅ 5 popular influential marketing tactics

✅ specific questions to ask yourself when implementing these tactics into your marketing strategy

Marketing Principles Are Tools 🛠️ 

“Use emotional words”

“Choose brand colors based on color psychology” (ex: blue is seen as trustworthy)

Chances are you’ve gotten these recommendations before. They stem from marketing psychology which is the practice of aligning your communication, brand, and content with researched strategies of human behavior.

Mental “shortcuts” mentioned are also known as cognitive biases. It’s important to know the goal of marketing psychology is not to exploit or manipulate your customers by using these marketing principles. Instead you should aim to use them responsibly to win over your customer.

Marketing tactics are tools for your toolkit, it’s up to you on how you use them to align with your business goals and ensure they will come across authentically.

5 Influential Marketing Psychology Principles & How to Use Them Responsibly 💫 

1. Social Proof 🤩 
   
   The Principle: Humans are most trusting of products/services other people believe are valuable. We are more likely to take cues from others when we don’t know how to act or what to buy in certain situations.
   
   *Note: Social proof can be faked online (Example: Reviews written by bots or edited to remove bad feedback and only focus on the good)
   
    How It’s Used:

   • Celebrities + Influencers are used to talk about how great a product/service is. This is what we see most often.

   • Customer testimonials, reviews, and transformational case study videos provided by real customers

   • Websites incorporate real-time statistics to show how in demand their product or services are (Example: 5 people have this in their cart)

   • Businesses repost user generated content on their socials
     
     Ask yourself:
     

   • Am I asking my customers and influencer partners for genuine reviews and testimonials?

   • When working with influencers, am I ensuring they’ve tried my product + services first before creating content?
     
     *Pro-tip: When anyone’s reviewing your products or services, give them permission to share in their authentic voice. Don’t require influencers to read verbatim talking points (unless it’s mandatory legal information).

2. Paradox of Choice ⚖️
   
   The Principle: When people are presented with more options than they can process, they get stuck analyzing what the best option for them is. More is not always better.
   
    How It’s Used:

   • The infinite scroll of content options on streaming platforms (Netflix + HBO). You try to find something to watch and end up scrolling through all the options for an hour.

   • Cheesecake Factory’s menu is over 20 pages with over 250 items, no wonder you’re having a hard time deciding what to order.

   • Luxury retail stores put only a few items out on the floor to increase perceived value and give you a few options to choose from.

   • Realtors know their audiences wants and needs and will show clients only a few houses that they know fit their requirements.

   
    Ask yourself:
   

   • How can I package my product types or services into high quality tiers? (3-4 service tiers max)

   • How can I become a counselor and curator to my customers vs. a salesperson trying to sell everything even if it doesn’t make sense for them individually?

3. Gruen Effect 🦋 
   
   The Principle: Good design leads to good profits. The more beautifully designed your store or website is, the longer customers will visit for. The longer they visit, the more money they spend.
   

   *Note: If executed in large doses, Gruen Effect can overwhelm customers’ senses to spend more money but in a manipulative way where they don't even know why they’re buying. If this is the case, there’s a risk of long term negative repercussions.
   
    How It’s Used:

   • Example: Ikea’s fixed path design ensures that you’re naturally led with design and floor arrows to walk through the entire showroom and store in order to exit. The more time you spend walking around, the more likely you are to spend (There are shortcuts but they aren't obvious)

   • Bulla Bulla Merchandising is when retailers put lots of items into large see-through containers to create the impression of bulk

   • The aroma of fresh food in food courts in malls makes you hungry and want to stop for a bite. You’ll inevitably spend more time inside and be more likely to continue shopping after.
     
     Ask yourself:
     

   • How can I use music to evoke preferred behaviors? Ex: Faster tempo music makes customers move faster, slower paced music makes them move slower. What genres are in line with my customer’s wants and needs?

   • How can I use smell to evoke desired responses? Ex: You can smell Lush’s soaps from the door and they invite you in.

   • Online businesses: How can I implement strong but not overwhelming visual design and UI to naturally guide customers through my offerings?

4. Anchoring ⚓️ 
   

   The Principle: People often base their decision-making on the first bit of information they learn on a specific topic.
   
    How It’s Used:

   • Marketers show “Retail Prices” and then cross it out and list a new lower price. Customers will think the new lower price a good deal even though it may not be. Example: Kohl’s marks up their prices just to mark them down.

   • Software services will offer customers monthly plans with prices that are slightly higher than their annual plan costs. Example: Save $40 if you buy access for the year vs. month to month

   • Businesses limit the amount of a specific product each customer can buy. Example: “Clorox Wipes. Limit 2 per customer.”
     
     Ask yourself:
     

   • In what ways am I using anchoring bias online or in-store for my business? Are these ways working and not manipulative?

   • What impacts (if any) have resulted with your customers behavior or views towards my business?

   5. Loss Aversion 🚫 

   
   The Principle: People prefer to avoid a loss instead of gaining new things. Loss Aversion forces quick decision-making by leading customers to want to avoid any kind of loss.
   
    How It’s Used:

   • Urgency is added to frame offers sales Example: Shop now, Deal ends at midnight

   • Creating FOMO by highlighting what customers will lose and the pain points of missing out on the amazing offer

   • Scarcity driven copy will show how customers will gain something rare if they pre-order now. If they don’t, they’ll miss out forever. (Extra bonuses, free goodies)
     
     Ask yourself:
     

   • How can I make my marketing message clear when using this principle?

   • How can I use marketing to help customers imagine owning my product or the desired transformation they’ll have through using my services?
     
     Note: Loss Aversion is not sustainable as a stand-alone or your only marketing strategy. If you constantly use this tactic, customers will catch on and only buy during sale times and/or feel manipulated and not buy at all.

TRENDS 📈 , INSIGHTS 🧠 , & NEWS 📰 

• How to know if your business qualifies for the employee retention tax credit

• Why you should connect with other small businesses on socials

• SMB’s guide to business storytelling

ABOUT VERSA STRATEGY

Chandler Kirkman is the driving force behind Versa Strategy. She’s on a mission to elevate businesses’ marketing and empower Creative Strategists to think big picture.

Throughout the past decade, Chandler has consulted with over a hundred businesses of various specialities from Fortune 100 companies to local small businesses. By infusing branding, advertising, and marketing efforts with her signature blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and enthusiasm, she cultivates a dynamic and empathetic approach that helps business owners better connect with their customers.

LET’S CHAT! [email protected]

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