The Power of Habit in Marketing

Years ago, I read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. If you haven’t read it, I HIGHLY recommend it. Duhigg makes salient points with interesting stories and examples. One of these stories is that of Claude Hopkins and his methodology to get people to actually brush their teeth with toothpaste.

Today it’s hard to imagine that’d be something up for debate (but then again there are many health considerations up for debate that we’ll wonder about years from now).

Long story short (if you want the long version, read the book), Duhigg uses the Habit Loop of Cue, Reward, Craving to market toothpaste. 

Cue: 

Something that will make people want to use the product. Ie. a problem. In the toothpaste example, the cue was “That undesirable film on your teeth. Run your tongue over your teeth and you’ll feel the film. That film not only makes your smile less beautiful, it’s inviting bacteria and decay to your mouth.” 

Reward:

This is the benefit of using the product. I can brush that film away and know that my smile would be getting more beautiful with each stroke of the toothbrush. But the reward of a beautiful smile isn’t enough. And if a mouth is not actively in pain from decay, many people will take the “it won’t happen to me” or “it’s not absolutely urgent right now” paths. 

Craving:

Duhigg realized these facts. ANd that’s why Pepsodent had citric acid and peppermint. These irritants created a cool, tingling sensation on the tongue and gums. That aftertaste was the confirmation that Pepsodent was actually doing something. 

The Habit Loop goes like this:

People craved the tingle, felt the film on their teeth, and then they were rewarded with teeth that felt clean and minty. Rinse and repeat.

Habit Loops in Marketing

Have you considered applying a Habit Loop to the marketing of products you sell? 

Habit Loops can be especially effective in consumable products. Shampoo scents, the irritation of stringents, BEER! Maybe in your next marketing meeting ask: How can we make our products as habit-forming as beer?