Using Psychology to Drive Conversions

As a marketer, you've tried every known lead-generating tactic known to man and then some. But leads don't necessarily convert to customers right away or at all. For eCommerce marketing, this is even more true. If you're an eCommerce marketer, you know that unless those leads convert into revenue, it can feel more useful to spend your time—and focus your eCommerce marketing—elsewhere.

That's why, as an inbound marketer, whether for a B2B business, an eCommerce shop or everything in between, you also need to understand the psychology behind turning leads into full-blown customers. Here are a few psychological "triggers" to consider for your next marketing campaigns.

Pain Avoidance

If your product or service helps a potential customer avoid some type of distress or pain, you're golden. Get people to understand how your product helps to alleviate their specific pain points and they'll be flocking to you for assistance.

Pleasure Attainment

On the opposite side of the emotional spectrum is pleasure. If your marketing campaign can convince customers that they will attain some form of pleasure with your service, attaining new customers will become a breeze. 

The Power of Novelty

Everybody wants to try the newest, freshest, most innovative thing on the market. That’s why you see long lines prior to every iPhone release. In terms of physiology, “novelty” triggers the release of dopamine in your brain giving you those "happy feelings" that results in an investment. Increase your conversion rates simply by rewarding your customers with something new and useful.

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Why? Why? Why?

Psychologist Ellen Langer conducted an experiment where she asked people if she could use the Xerox machine because she had to copy 5 pages. She got a 60% positive response of people willing to let her cut ahead in line. When she also mentioned that she needed to cut because she was in a rush, she got a 94% compliance rate. When converting leads, explain to your customer why they need to buy your service. Without a proper explanation, customers won't be attracted to your offer.

Social Proof

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to correct behavior for a given situation. Use this to your advantage by promoting testimonials (via social media, website, and review sites). When people see how many satisfied customers you've serviced, they'll be more likely to convert into customers themselves.

Herd Mentality

Appeal to the herd mentality (or, if you want to be nicer, FOMO). When you can quantify how many satisfied users you’ve serviced, you are more likely to convert people who may be on the fence. Similar to the social proof concept, people simply want to belong. Make it easy for them to join a satisfied customer community.

The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

When you set a time limit on attaining a certain deal or product, you set the wheels in motion for a customer to buy something. When the supply is lower, you get even more conversions. Don't underestimate people's fear of missing out.

Use these psychological tactics to convert leads into customers. You'll slowly but surely become more aware of buying patterns, best selling products, and therefore fine-tune your marketing strategy to fit key demographics. Give it a shot! Let us know how it goes by commenting below.

We also discuss 7 principles of psychology that can be used to improve your nurture marketing in another article. Check it out here!

You can also gain more tips on lead attraction by downloading our FREE [ebook] The 30 Greatest Lead Generation Tips, Tricks, and Ideas.

This blog post is part of  Your Definitive Guide to Lead Nurturing blog series, Your Definitive Guide to Conversion Rate Optimization blog series and Your Definitive Guide to eCommerce Marketing series.