Understanding behavior target

First step is understanding the target behavior. It has to be as specific as possible if we want to boost conversions. 

Second step: understand target behavior type. We need to dive into our specific target.

15 behaviors types uses different psychology strategies and persuasive techniques

• Dot — It happens just once (e.g. they buy our e-book)
• Span  — It happens over a period of time, like for 7 days (e.g. they take part of our 7-day course)
• Path — It happens over and over, from now on. (e.g. they join our social networking site and start hanging out there)

Most online conversions (join email list, sign up, buy product) are either green dot (taking a single action for the first time) 

or blue dot behaviors (taking a familiar single action).

Optimizing for green dot behavior – first-time single action

Green dot behaviors are often used in the beginning stages of complex behavior inductions. Start off with a small introductory offer. This can then lead to more extensive, prolonged relations and, eventually, habitual purchasing behavior.

The main challenge that we face while triggering a Green Dot behavior is a lack of ability. Since Dot behaviors occur only once, the subject must have enough knowledge to successfully complete the action on the first attempt. Otherwise, frustration, and quitting, may occur.

• Couple the trigger with a motivational or facilitative element.
• Increase the ability of the subject by explaining the novel behavior in terms of one that is familiar.
• Increase the motivation of the subject by explicitly highlighting the benefits of the action.

Optimizing for blue dot behavior – Familiar single action is among the easiest to achieve. That’s because the person, by definition, is already familiar with the behavior. They know how to perform it (such as exercise, plant a tree, buy a book). In addition, they already have a sense of the costs and benefits for the behavior.

• Three core motivators: Sensation (pleasure/pain), Anticipation (hope/fear), and Belonging (acceptance/rejection)
• Best trigger: tell the visitor person to “do this behavior now.”

Desired behavior happens when motivation, ability, and trigger converge

In order to boost conversions, you need to

• help people do what they already want to do,
• tap into the right motivators,
• understand the types of motivation,
• make taking action as easy as possible,
• focus on simplification,
• put hot triggers on the path of motivated people,
• and generally obsess about triggers like your business depended on it.

How we like to think about Fogg Behavior Model (FBM)

Motivation: 

We use FBM to decide how much information people need before asking them to take action. 

We assess the motivation that we’ve built with the copy that came before 

We ask them to buy/sign up/click, and the button copy itself – is this motivating or not?

Ability: Is the form easy to fill out? Is it easy to buy? How can we make it easier?

Trigger: I like to think of headlines and calls to action as triggers. Are they compelling? Are they visible, high in the visual hierarchy?

Lessons from Neuromarketing

• Food
• Fight or Flight
• Fornication

We have 3 brains

the “New Brain” thinks

the “Middle Brain” feels 

the “Old Brain” decides it reviews input from the other two brains and controls the decision-making process. It’s called the Reptilian Brain (because we share it with reptiles and all other vertebrates). It’s mostly concerned with survival.

The Old Brain can be triggered only by 6 stimuli:

1. Self-centered

The Old Brain is the organ of survival and it is only concerned about its own survival.

You need to deliver your message in a way that is acceptable to a highly selfish organ. It’s about our customers. They want to make sure we’re on their side and care about their problems. “What’s in it for me?”

Avoid language that’s about us and make it solely about them and how they can benefit.

2. Contrast

The Old Brain is triggered when something changes. Without contrast, it can’t make a decision. 

This is the very reason why before/after works so well. We’re hardwired to spot the differences! The old brain seeks clear contrast in order to make instant decisions and avoid confusion that results in delayed decisions.

e.g.

before/after, risky/safe, with/without, and fast/slow. Therefore, to get the old brain’s attention, create contrast and avoid things like neutral statements that dull contrast.“

3. Tangible.

The old brain prefers and scans for tangible input to avoid the extra time and energy involved in thinking. For example, easily grasped words like “more money” are preferred to “maximizing ROI.”

4. First and Last

The old Brain is only triggered by a change of state: when something changes, this can mean a potential danger and the Old Brain will automatically be more alert at the beginning and at the end of an interaction. This has huge implications for web design (content presentation) and videos. How your pages, web copy, and videos start and end are hugely important – as that’s the main thing people will remember. For the overall content – if nothing much changes, the brain will stop paying attention to it.

The key here is novelty. Neuroscientists say novelty promotes information transmission.

Our mind seems to gravitate toward novelty / essential need of the mind. 

Novel means unknown, and what is unknown demands attention of our brain. Once the new thing is known and understood, then we look to find another unknown to master. In order to keep our website visitor’s attention sustained, we need to present novelty every second.

Text-heavy pages

If you have text-heavy content you want users to read – like long form sales copy – you have to use novelty to keep their attention and get as many people as possible to read it.

*excerpt 

Small changes in background color, text positioning and added images make the whole thing more interesting to go through, resulting in an increase in sustained attention.

Different trumps the same

Our brain pays close attention to patterns and quickly learns to ignore anything that is routine, repetitive, predictable, or just plain boring.

5. Visual

Always we should use images next to text to communicate our key messages. If you have digital products like software or ebooks – show screenshots.

6. Emotion

The Old Brain can only be triggered by emotion. A spreadsheet, even with a fantastic value proposition, will not stimulate the Old Brain. The Old Brain is receiving information from the rest of the brain through a filtering system known as the reticular system. We need emotional stimuli to reach the Old Brain.

https://cxl.com/institute/certificate/cxl-psychology-persuasion/