Discover What Neuromarketing Is and How to Connect with Emotions

Posted on
March 15, 2021

Has it ever happened to you that they ask you why you like something and you don't know how to answer? You search your mind for justifications, but there seems to be no concrete reason. Contrary to what we like to believe, human beings are highly irrational.

This is why the most successful brands are those that, in addition to offering an excellent product or service, connect with those deep emotions and motivations that inhabit our unconscious minds.

Neuromarketing techniques in the real world

Neuromarketing is the union between science and marketing. It seeks to measure people’s reactions when there is exposure to advertisements and other marketing strategies. In short, neuroscience is applied to marketing for understanding behaviors related to brands and the buying process from neural activity.

Today, there are tools such as neuromarketing that seek to provide a scientific guide to brands so that they can make better decisions and get closer to their consumers.

Conquer the minds of your customers first

Science aims to identify which areas of the brain activate in consumer decision-making processes to anticipate consumer behavior. We know that around 95% of purchasing decisions are unconscious. So, assuming that our brain acts in a 100% rational way is a big mistake. For this reason, it’s not enough to have an excellent offer, you have to know how to sell it.

When there is a purchase action, which also implies the acceptance of a brand or product, the brain behaves in a specific way. It is this behavior, imperceptible to the naked eye, that neuromarketing aims to study and measure. It applies in many cases, for example, to evaluate a product before its launch, to create an accurate pricing strategy or to determine the effectiveness of an advertising piece before releasing it.

Additionally, neuromarketing explains that some people learn about what they see; others learn about what they do and some others learn about what they hear.

1. Visual people

They observe the esthetics and appearance of things. They tend to be methodical and orderly, using colors to classify objects. They tend to speak fast because images pass through their minds at a great speed as the brain understands images 60,000 times faster than text and 90% of the brain’s information is visual.

So, for visual people, you can use this skill to enhance data processing and organizational effectiveness. They understand the world as they see it; the appearance of things is the most important thing. 

2. Auditory people

They are people who speak more slowly, take their time to choose words. They don't usually like noise and tend to associate ideas and music. They know how to listen and like to talk. They are more cerebral than others and have a lot of inner life. 

The auditory person is an excellent conversationalist. They have a great ability to mentally organize their ideas. Sometimes they seem to be in a bad mood because of their sensitivity to certain types of noise. They perceive the world better through their ears. Their characteristic is to go through the world with a relaxed posture, predisposition to listen and a well-toned voice. They like activities such as listening to music, telling and hearing stories, and interacting with other people.

Here, you should propose actions of experiential marketing prioritizing the auditory, in an attempt to connect emotionally in an authentic way. Some sounds transmit tranquility, that gives us confidence or even makes us happy and improves our mood. That's why in establishments, shopping centers and clinics the music that sounds in the background is never casual. It is always intentionally chosen to provoke a certain emotion.

3. kinesthetic people

Emotions are important for kinesthetic people. They need physical contact and don't give importance to order and details. They perceive the world through touch, taste and smell. They like physical activities and enjoy contact with other people. They are usually more sentimental, sensitive and emotional people. They show their sensitivity and spontaneously express their feelings. They relate very easily to other people.

For these kinds of people, you can use storytelling exploiting many sensations to keep them engaged with your content. In fact, by producing content taking into account all kinds of people described by neuromarketers, you can increase your conversion rate. In addition, the fact of generating experiences to the consumers like tastings, events, contests, raffles... will take those people who liked it to recommend your brand to friends, relatives, etc. Finally, this type of marketing will also help you improve and strengthen your brand image.

What are the elements of neuromarketing?

Next, we present the main discoveries made by neuromarketing studies that will help you define your marketing strategy regardless of the size of your business.

1. Colors

Colors directly influence the way the customer feels. Believe it. color psychology is essential for selling. Each color reflects emotion, and inserting a color that conflicts with the chosen “mood” for the ad can ruin your end goal. Therefore, using color effectively is a powerful marketing tool. 

What happens is that we have the habit of associating certain colors with feelings. So it makes sense to study well what each tone means and use it according to your objective for the page or material in question.

Big brands carefully consider the effect of each color on their packaging, promotional materials, etc. And it's worth doing the same for your business.

2. Tell stories

Storytelling is the technique of telling stories in campaigns. Neuromarketing examples showed that by creating context and story in ads, consumers were more emotionally engaged. Therefore, investing in a good script that attracts and excites your audience can generate much greater identification and commitment.

The art of captivating storytelling makes a big difference when it comes to winning over customers. Everyone likes to read high-quality content, and that creates a closer relationship between your company and the public.

3. Pricing

Do you know how to define a price that attracts more customers? The strategy $9.99 is more attractive than $10 is well-known. However, according to neuromarketing research, rounded numbers work best when prone to emotional decisions.

The compound prices, in turn, work most effectively when it involves the logic areas of the brain. In this way, the price that you will define for your product can vary according to the focus of your marketing campaign. Our brain has great difficulty thinking about the price based on the isolated value of a product, that is, because of what it does for us.

Instead, it’s easier to take prices for similar products as a basis and see if the offer in question is expensive or cheap. The most famous example comes from fairs and markets. In the famous "2 for 1" offers, consumers don't need 2 products but consider an “economy” since if they buy 2 separately, they would pay more.

4. Payment

According to neuromarketing studies, the economic transaction creates anxiety in users. So, some experts recommend using expressions such as "take me home", "add to cart", always trying to replace the word "purchase".

5. Mental triggers

Mental triggers are factors that lead us to make decisions "automatically", a way that our brain finds to stay in balance in the midst of so many decisions we are faced with.

That is, when faced with certain stimuli, the brain understands that you need to act quickly. These stimuli, when used in marketing, usually lead to conversion. Some of the main ones are:

  • Social proof. Presenting the number of people who visited your blog or bought your product will motivate whoever comes now to do the same. In the end, we tend to follow the herd.
  • Scarcity. Limited editions are the perfect example of how creating a scarcity effect is positive. The brain understands that it needs to act quickly so as not to miss the opportunity.
  • Urgency. Following the same principle of scarcity, urgency leads the person to act on impulse. Works? Black Friday proves it.
  • Exclusivity. People love being part of select groups or gaining early access to products and services, as the sense of exclusivity makes them feel important.

6. Offer value before placing an order

As the inbound marketing good practice manual dictates, it’s necessary to try to help before trying to sell. What does that mean? Instead of pushing your product/service to anyone who shows the slightest bit of interest, be ready to help.

You can do it by clarifying doubts, offering practical advice on how to act and giving suggestions on which product would work best for the person. Do that even if it is not the most advantageous for you or that the product in question is not part of your catalog. If you do, people will trust your brand, and the principle of reciprocity will kick in. The customer will return the help by buying from you.

7. Repeat ideas and concepts strategically

"Repetition is the mother of retention." This saying has a special place in the heart of those who do marketers, don't hesitate. Strategically repeating ideas and concepts makes your message more powerful and persuasive. Over time, even someone who is radically opposed to your ideas can change their minds if they listen to them long enough.

8. Dive into the design

The design of your site, blog and even printed elements (such as packaging and business card) are crucial. The better the design, the more willing people will have to explore what your business can do for them, as well as increasing their confidence in your ability to deliver expected value. The nice, easy-to-understand design is infinitely superior to one without form and function.

In fact, transform your website into a real experience. Having a commercial website isn't an obstacle for customers to feel that they are in touch with your products or services. A detailed description and good-sized images from different perspectives will better illustrate your products and services. With these tools, you’ll awaken the interest of consumers so that they will place an order and fully live the shopping experience. 

9. Offers a few choice options

It’s important to understand that one of the functions of neuromarketing is to help us not only know what to do, but also what to put aside. A very common mistake that you should avoid based on scientific discoveries has to do with the number of options that you offer your customers.

According to a Columbia University study, excessive choices can cause paralysis in consumers. Not knowing which is the correct choice, many end up avoiding the decision altogether. The best way out is to find the balance, and present the options in a way that doesn't have a crippling effect on customers. In that case, another popular saying is valid: “less is more”.

Time is money!

Start applying neuromarketing to your marketing strategies. Neuromarketing tells us that advertising is more effective with messages that evoke emotions and capture our attention. These kinds of messages consolidate in our memory. 

Science has a lot to teach us about our consumers and ourselves, and it doesn't hurt to keep up to date on findings that can help us better focus on our brands. Remember that when it comes to marketing, it’s important to offer value to people, and what better way to do that than by knowing them deeply?

Ready to start applying neuromarketing? We helped tons of businesses create their marketing strategies. Give us a shout. You won’t regret it! 

Posted in
Marketing
category