Convincing someone to buy your product is no easy feat, especially for brand new products that have little to no visibility in the market. If you are currently struggling with this dilemma, fear not—there are many things you can do to increase conversion rate and gain new clients. Today we are offering 6 simple tips for your marketing strategy that will help increase customer conversions and boost your sales according to the most popular theory in the marketing psychology field: Cialdini’s Six Principles of Influence.
Influence is all about psychology.
Through many experimental studies, Robert Cialdini , a highly respected psychologist and psychology/marketing professor, found the 6 principles of influence that have helped many brands to understand the mind and strengthen their strategies according to high-potential sources of influence. Take a look at his findings and consider applying the Cialdini principles of influence to your marketing strategy.
1. Reciprocity
Reciprocity is the first principle of Cialdini that is based on the notion that doing something good for someone will result in a returned favor. The saying: “You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours” applies well here, as people remember when you have done something good for them and it can be of future benefit to your business. Reciprocity is explained by the fact that humans don’t like feeling “indebted” to someone when something good has been done for them, and for this reason the response is often a comparable action or favor. This is why coupons and promotions offers are often a success, because in return for offering something free/discounted, your leads or clients are more inclined to buy your product. It also applies to the employment process though networking—you do me a favor and I will get you back.
What you can do for your business:
– Offer something truly appreciated by your customer, personalize the offer, and be prepared for leads to return.
2. Commitment
There is a direct correlation between consistency and commitment. Humans tend to be consistent with products, projects, brands, or even ideas and are resistant to change. This is connected to an individual’s self-image; when we find something we believe in, we are likely to act in accordance with this idea as it empowers our image and character. This explains why when accepting an offer, people are more willing to make a commitment to the brand making the offer.
What you can do for your business:
– Request small actions from your customers in your website or mobile app. Make sure that this action is public (shareable for a large audience) and reward your customer for his commitment to your product or brand.
3. Social Proof
Social Proof is the idea of validation based on the actions of others. We seek social proof more when we are feeling insecure or uncertain, and sometimes we need a guide for achieving this social proof. This is why there is a tendency to imitate the behavior of others, for example leaving a tip when at a restaurant. Behavior imitation occurs especially when people that we like or trust are involved—there is a greater chance of us buying something that we believe is trendy or cool because of the status of the individual using it (this explains the power and success of celebrity endorsements).
What you can do for your business:
– Form partnerships with celebrities, experts, or key leaders from your community, and let them influence your audience. This concept can have a huge impact on sales.
4. Liking
We are more prone to buy things that are recommended to us by people we like. Peers that are familiar to us have a huge potential influence, because we trust them and tend to believe what they say. This is why we are more influenced by our family and friends than unfamiliar people whose intentions we are unsure of.
What you can do for your business:
– Build your online and mobile presence in a user-friendly way. Choose images that your target audience identifies with. Use social media to get closer to your community, build relationships, and behave more like a friend than a distant brand. Try to make an impact on your target audience and embody values that they admire.
5. Authority
Why do we put such trust in managers, experts, doctors and other people in high positions? Because they are respected, they are credible, they have authority over their followers, and we believe that they know what is best for us. We have the need to trust people in positions of authority, and this is often built through professional careers or level of knowledge. Advertisers and communication agencies often choose doctors or others with a credible image to be a part of their campaigns. Even the clothes, uniforms, gadgets, or other materials help to endorse this image.
What you can do for your business:
– Try to get your product or service approved by a respected community, and make this validation a part of your slogan. For example, “Approved by the scientific community” or “Research shows that…”; pay attention to the visual aspects of your campaign (people, apparel, props) and add a powerful title or headline that presents a well-known experience or powerful position.
6. Scarcity
We are strongly attracted to things with limitations, such as limited editions or limited audience availability. This is why we often see websites featuring limited offers. “Limited sales” is one of the most popular expressions in the communication world and the results are magic: we automatically desire something labeled as exclusive that not everyone can have; “limits” have a super power in the mids of consumers.
What you can do for your business:
– Create limited offer campaigns and promote them throughout all platforms in which your brand is present. Promote a product that is desired by your audience, include a discount or other promotional offer, and get ready for a jump in traffic to your website. You can even create routines for your clients, like Black Fridays or Super Mondays, so your audience will know and look forward to the days you may have something special for them, and be more willing to engage with you.
There’s a lot you can do to increase conversion rate. Consider all elements of your brand (website, mobile, logo, slogan, endorsements, partners, visual elements, etc) and ask yourself how well each of these aspects work.
Align your marketing strategy with the most successful marketing influence principle, and watch your sales grow.
