The Psychology of Marketing

So, why is psychology important in the field of marketing? When we buy something, or want to buy something, the way in which the product is presented to us is important. A key part of being able to sell something is understanding how and why people think and act the way we do. This principle is the essence of psychology! We, as human beings, think we are rational, independently thinking individuals, when in reality, we are really falling prey to the whims of our psychology and the way our brain is wired whether we like it or not.

The field of marketing has evolved throughout the years and the tools available to reach niche audiences is vast.  A brand’s ability to target desired audiences now go far beyond generic demographics (e.g., age, household income, geography). They can target consumers by behaviors, interests, search patterns, and the like, especially with digital marketing.

So how can you leverage marketing psychology for your campaign? Scope out these tips for successful marketing strategies that use the field of psychology as a foundation:

• Priming. Use subtle priming techniques on your website to draw the reader’s attention to where you want it – this strategy can help your website visitors remember key information about your brand and influence their buying behavior.

• Social proof, or the theory that people are more willing to adopt the same beliefs or a group they like or trust, is another important aspect to note when marketing a product.

• Clustering. Most people can only remember a few pieces of information at a time due to limited space in their short-term memory (seven pieces of information to be exact). Many tend to cluster similar pieces of information together in their head, forming smaller groups or categories to remember more. How can you improve your content while keeping clustering in mind? Your design layouts?

Alba Cordover is an Intern at Bond Moroch.

e: acordover@bondmoroch.com