How much time do you invest in acquiring new leads? Likely quite a bit. However, we all recognize one crucial fact – all the leads in the world are meaningless unless you can persuade them to purchase your products or services. With limited time, resources, and personnel, small businesses today face the challenge of running their marketing efforts more effectively; seamlessly transforming a prospect into a lead, and a lead into a customer. And, guess what? It is achievable! The secret lies in identifying psychological triggers that drive conversion. Here are seven to take into account for your marketing strategies in the upcoming year.
Trigger #1. Pain Avoidance
Psychologists and great salesmen will tell you this is the largest motivator of all human behavior. Explain how your product or service helps your leads avoid pain in their life in some way. Then your chances of turning those leads into customers is excellent.
Trigger #2. Pleasure Attainment
What is the second most efficient motivation for getting someone to do something? Help them gain pleasure. It can be argued that either pain avoidance or pleasure attainment is at the core of every human decision. Make it clear how your product or service addresses the pleasure side of the equation.
Trigger #3. The Power of “New”
When you hear about a new restaurant in town, doesn’t it create some interest in your mind? On a physiological level, novelty boosts the release of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and one of its functions is to stimulate your belief that a reward is just around the corner. Make your offering new and novel and your conversion rates will rise.
Trigger #4. The Need to Know Why
Psychologist Ellen Langer conducted a psychology experiment. To people using a photocopier, she asked, “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” A full 60% of the people she asked allowed her to cut in line in front of them. Then she began asking, “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine BECAUSE I’m in a rush?” Compliance shot up to an incredible 94%. Explain to your leads exactly why they should become a customer, make sure you use the incredible power of the word ëbecauseí, and you will fulfill the psychological need in your prospects’ minds to know why they should do something.
Trigger #5. Social proof
Wikipedia states, “Social proof is is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation. This effect is prominent in ambiguous social situations where people are unable to determine the appropriate mode of behavior, and is driven by the assumption that surrounding people possess more knowledge about the situation.” You can leverage social proof with testimonials (via social media, your website and through review sites), referrals and case studies from satisfied customers prove to your leads that they will benefit from your offer.
Trigger #6. The Desire to Belong
Most human beings have an innate desire to be part of something that is bigger than themselves. Online project management provider Basecamp harnesses this desire effectively. In different marketing campaigns, online and off, they inform prospects how many companies have “… signed up for Basecamp to manage their projects. Today it’s your turn.” This appeals to the human herd mentality.
Trigger #7. The Fear of Missing Out
Give your leads a time limitation to become a customer. No one likes to think they missed out on a good thing. You can compound the effectiveness of this psychological sales trigger by limiting the quantity of products or offers you have available.
Have you used any of these tactics to successfully convert leads to customers?
