The Missing Step Between Thinking and Doing

As much as we may not like to admit it, our job as marketers is to influence people to do what we want them to do. We can’t be successful in marketing unless we understand our audiences beyond the label.

Marketing segments divide audiences based on demographics or previous actions. Taking the time to create Audience Personas goes deeper, helping you to understand what your audiences value.

Your brand lives in the space where the things you do best align perfectly with what your audiences care about. Understanding what motivates people will help you move your audiences from information recipients to engaged action-takers.?

1.?Reciprocity Principle

This principle refers to the idea that if someone or something does something to help you, you’re more willing to return the favor. If an organization does something that positively impacts someone, the receiving person is more likely to do the same. For schools and membership organizations, this reciprocity is direct. In many organizations, it’s not. A donor gives so that another can benefit., so you need to find other ways that people can feel like they are receiving something of benefit to them. Volunteer opportunities, tours, and impactful storytelling can all help generate that feeling.

2. Information-Gap

The information-gap theory explains the instinct to actively find information to fill in gaps of knowledge about topics of interest. We see this in social media posts with titles like “How To.” or “7 Tips to Help You…” People are naturally curious, so hooking them with a promise of new knowledge is an effective way of getting attention. Consider what they might want to know rather than only what you want them to know. Try social posts sharing information specifically related to your work rather than your organization. For example, an art museum might share “5 Facts About Picasso’s Life.” ?

3. Scarcity

We want the things we can’t have. When we perceive things as rare, we want them even more. Advertising “limited spaces available” for an event or special benefits for joining a President’s Circle” are ways organizations use this theory in action. Scarcity is about getting valuable access to things others don’t have. What does your community value that’s a limited commodity at your organization?

4. Social Proof

In marketing, this theory is more commonly referred to as “Word of Mouth.” Essentially, people are more willing to support you if they have heard positive things regarding your organization from people they trust or admire. This theory is why many companies hire celebrities or influencers to market their products or services. Anyone can be an influencer in the right community. Reviews and testimonials are a great place to start building your 3rd party endorsements.

5. Loss Aversion

Nobel Prize-winning psychologists, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, discovered this theory explaining people are more motivated by avoiding a loss than they are in acquiring a gain. Like the Scarcity Theory discussed above, this theory explains that people are more likely to purchase tickets to an event or purchase a product if they are told they will miss out on it if they don’t do it at that moment. We see this being used in marketing every year during Black Friday with limited-time-only deals. Organizations can incorporate this theory into their marketing by implementing a countdown on certain events or limited-time deals for membership fees.

6. Anchoring Bias

Anchoring bias refers to a consumer tendency to base a purchase decision on the first item we see, specifically regarding price. If our first exposure to a product or service’s price is relatively low, we’ll be hesitant to pay much more or less than that. It may seem hard to break through this barrier, but many companies will capitalize on it by highlighting savings. Membership organizations do this with discounts on annual membership instead of daily passes or special event tickets. And any organization can reorder giving amounts to prioritize larger gifts first.

7. The Pygmalion Effect

This theory states that if you believe something about yourself, it will become true and if someone else believes something about you it can also become true. To start, you need to identify why your organization is valuable. It seems obvious, but have you thought about your brand and how you want to be perceived? What is so true that if your organization acted in a different way – you wouldn’t be you? Defining brand promise, positioning and core values allows you to shape your impression through marketing. ?

Understanding how consumers are influenced will help you execute impactful and effective marketing campaigns. Send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 267-468-7949 to see how we can help.