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I’ve spent 1500+ hours learning about cognitive biases and heuristics (AKA the stuff that drives *your customers* to buy)
Here are the top 19 concepts that marketers need to know:
Here are the top 19 concepts that marketers need to know:
Before we dive in...
1. What you’re about to learn is powerful—use it for good
2. If you read this post all the way to the end, there’s a surprise for you
1. What you’re about to learn is powerful—use it for good
2. If you read this post all the way to the end, there’s a surprise for you
1/ TRIGGER EVENTS
Every purchase begins with a trigger event. It’s the moment a buyer realizes they may need a new solution.
Trigger events can be:
Biological (eg. Being hungry)
Situational (eg. Getting engaged)
Emotional (eg. Feeling jealous)
Social (eg. Fight with spouse)
Every purchase begins with a trigger event. It’s the moment a buyer realizes they may need a new solution.
Trigger events can be:
Biological (eg. Being hungry)
Situational (eg. Getting engaged)
Emotional (eg. Feeling jealous)
Social (eg. Fight with spouse)
1/ TRIGGER EVENTS CON'T
When you discover your customers’ trigger events, you can market smarter
You can get in front of people sooner, in less crowded channels, with better messages
Apple gets it
What trigger event do you think they’re leveraging with this ad?
When you discover your customers’ trigger events, you can market smarter
You can get in front of people sooner, in less crowded channels, with better messages
Apple gets it
What trigger event do you think they’re leveraging with this ad?
2/ DISTINCTIVENESS
We’re more likely to notice stuff that stands out from the rest
That’s why @LouisSlices—the king of radical differentiation—changed his headshot from smiley guy in a suit (boring
) to feisty marketing bullshit fighter
The lesson?
Differentiate (or die)
We’re more likely to notice stuff that stands out from the rest
That’s why @LouisSlices—the king of radical differentiation—changed his headshot from smiley guy in a suit (boring
) to feisty marketing bullshit fighterThe lesson?
Differentiate (or die)
3/ MERE EXPOSURE EFFECT
The more we see something, the more we come to like and trust it
That’s why prolific marketers like @TheCoolestCool expertly repurpose their content so they show up consistently in the places their buyers hang out
The lesson?
Show up consistently
The more we see something, the more we come to like and trust it
That’s why prolific marketers like @TheCoolestCool expertly repurpose their content so they show up consistently in the places their buyers hang out
The lesson?
Show up consistently
4/ STATUS QUO BIAS
We’re resistant to change and prefer the known to unknown
That’s why smart marketers like @amandanat use stats, facts, and stories to jolt readers into realizing that sticking with the status quo is risky
The lesson?
Show the risk of doing nothing
We’re resistant to change and prefer the known to unknown
That’s why smart marketers like @amandanat use stats, facts, and stories to jolt readers into realizing that sticking with the status quo is risky
The lesson?
Show the risk of doing nothing
5/ SOCIAL CURRENCY
We’re more likely to share stuff that makes us look good to others
That’s why people drop $$$ on NFTs and why your Twitter feed is full of profile pics with CryptoPunks, Lazy Lions & Bored Apes, which drives demand
The lesson?
Make sharing gratifying
We’re more likely to share stuff that makes us look good to others
That’s why people drop $$$ on NFTs and why your Twitter feed is full of profile pics with CryptoPunks, Lazy Lions & Bored Apes, which drives demand
The lesson?
Make sharing gratifying
6/ THE BARNUM EFFECT
We’re drawn to statements that feel personal (even if they could actually apply to anyone)
That’s why world-class writers like @dickiebush ask Barnum-style Qs like these on his Ship30for30 sales page. Can you relate?
The lesson?
Make it feel personal
We’re drawn to statements that feel personal (even if they could actually apply to anyone)
That’s why world-class writers like @dickiebush ask Barnum-style Qs like these on his Ship30for30 sales page. Can you relate?
The lesson?
Make it feel personal
7/ PRIMING
We’re unconsciously influenced by even small details
That’s why I use imagery on my Clarity Call Cheatsheet sales page that primes visitors to connect customer discovery with better marketing and increased sales
The lesson?
Prime people to buy
We’re unconsciously influenced by even small details
That’s why I use imagery on my Clarity Call Cheatsheet sales page that primes visitors to connect customer discovery with better marketing and increased sales
The lesson?
Prime people to buy
8/ FRAMING
How something is presented very much impacts our perception of it
That’s why @AmandaMGoetz’s company House of Wise doesn’t just sell CBD products but instead sells less stress, hotter sex, and better sleep
The lesson?
Frame your offer carefully
How something is presented very much impacts our perception of it
That’s why @AmandaMGoetz’s company House of Wise doesn’t just sell CBD products but instead sells less stress, hotter sex, and better sleep
The lesson?
Frame your offer carefully
9/ ANCHORING
The first piece of information we see often sets our expectations
That’s why Snickers grew sales by 38% simply by changing the anchor from ‘them’ to ‘18’ (cc: the @thebrainybiz podcast)
The lesson?
Use anchors strategically
The first piece of information we see often sets our expectations
That’s why Snickers grew sales by 38% simply by changing the anchor from ‘them’ to ‘18’ (cc: the @thebrainybiz podcast)
The lesson?
Use anchors strategically
10/ AUTHORITY BIAS
We’re more trusting of authority figures (eg. doctors, celebrities, media)
That’s why baddies like @kaleighf and @The_MMW showcase the big publications they write for or have been featured in their Twitter profiles
The lesson?
Showcase your authority
We’re more trusting of authority figures (eg. doctors, celebrities, media)
That’s why baddies like @kaleighf and @The_MMW showcase the big publications they write for or have been featured in their Twitter profiles
The lesson?
Showcase your authority
11/ FOOT-IN-DOOR TECHNIQUE
We’re more likely to agree to a bigger request after already agreeing to a small one
This is why product-led growth experts like @ramlijohn suggest letting prospects try your product for free *before* committing
The lesson?
Start with a small ask
We’re more likely to agree to a bigger request after already agreeing to a small one
This is why product-led growth experts like @ramlijohn suggest letting prospects try your product for free *before* committing
The lesson?
Start with a small ask
12/ SOCIAL PROOF
We're more trusting of stuff that other people already trust
That’s why smart marketers like @coreyhainesco pepper their newsletter signup pages with glowing testimonials and headshots of well-known marketers
The lesson?
Let others sell for you
We're more trusting of stuff that other people already trust
That’s why smart marketers like @coreyhainesco pepper their newsletter signup pages with glowing testimonials and headshots of well-known marketers
The lesson?
Let others sell for you
13/ SCARCITY
We place a higher value on things when they're in limited supply
That’s why when Apple releases a new product they limit the number available so that they create a buying frenzy
The lesson?
Reducing availability can drive demand
We place a higher value on things when they're in limited supply
That’s why when Apple releases a new product they limit the number available so that they create a buying frenzy
The lesson?
Reducing availability can drive demand
14/ BANDWAGON EFFECT
We’re more likely to do something if everyone else is doing it
That’s why in 1957 McDonald’s started showing how many customers they’d served on their signs. Today, McDonald's serves 62M customers PER DAY
The lesson?
Showcase popularity
We’re more likely to do something if everyone else is doing it
That’s why in 1957 McDonald’s started showing how many customers they’d served on their signs. Today, McDonald's serves 62M customers PER DAY
The lesson?
Showcase popularity
15/ LOSS AVERSION
We’re more motivated to avoid losses than we are to receive gains
That’s why Amazon highlights the savings people could *lose* when they cancel their Prime membership to deter them from canceling (cc: @p_agnew)
The lesson?
Highlight what’s at stake
We’re more motivated to avoid losses than we are to receive gains
That’s why Amazon highlights the savings people could *lose* when they cancel their Prime membership to deter them from canceling (cc: @p_agnew)
The lesson?
Highlight what’s at stake
16/ RELATIVITY
We struggle to understand the value of a purchase without something to compare it to
That’s why Costco puts the TVs & laptops near the entrance. Seeing how cheap big-ticket items makes other products appear cheaper too
The lesson?
Use contrast to show value
We struggle to understand the value of a purchase without something to compare it to
That’s why Costco puts the TVs & laptops near the entrance. Seeing how cheap big-ticket items makes other products appear cheaper too
The lesson?
Use contrast to show value
17/ DELIGHT
When we receive unexpected value we feel intense joy
That’s why Asana users are delighted when they first see the celebration unicorn (AKA a surprise unicorn graphic that flies across your screen after completing a few tasks)
The lesson?
Deliver surprise value
When we receive unexpected value we feel intense joy
That’s why Asana users are delighted when they first see the celebration unicorn (AKA a surprise unicorn graphic that flies across your screen after completing a few tasks)
The lesson?
Deliver surprise value
18/ IKEA EFFECT
We place very high value on things that we had a hand in creating
That’s why Canva makes it extremely easy to create your first design by providing 1000s of templates
They help regular people feel like world-class designers
The lesson?
Co-create with users
We place very high value on things that we had a hand in creating
That’s why Canva makes it extremely easy to create your first design by providing 1000s of templates
They help regular people feel like world-class designers
The lesson?
Co-create with users
19/ PEAK-END RULE
We judge an experience by its peak moment and how it ends
That’s why Disney carefully crafts the experience to deliver high peaks and positive ends for guests—so they forget the crowds or hours spent waiting in lines
The lesson?
Create positive peaks/ends
We judge an experience by its peak moment and how it ends
That’s why Disney carefully crafts the experience to deliver high peaks and positive ends for guests—so they forget the crowds or hours spent waiting in lines
The lesson?
Create positive peaks/ends
20/ RECIPROCITY
When we're given something, we feel an urge to return the favor
That’s why I’m asking you...
If you feel like you got value from this thread (that took me ~6 hours to make), would you RT it so more people can see it?
I'd be so
https://twitter.com/KateBour/status/1478792178726019073?s=20
When we're given something, we feel an urge to return the favor
That’s why I’m asking you...
If you feel like you got value from this thread (that took me ~6 hours to make), would you RT it so more people can see it?
I'd be so
https://twitter.com/KateBour/status/1478792178726019073?s=20
In summary:
The best marketers use behavioral psychology to their advantage
Wanna up your marketing game? For the next 72 hours if you sign up for my Why We Buy newsletter you’ll also get a FREE copy of my Buyer Psychology Cheatsheet
The sign-up link is in my bio
The best marketers use behavioral psychology to their advantage
Wanna up your marketing game? For the next 72 hours if you sign up for my Why We Buy newsletter you’ll also get a FREE copy of my Buyer Psychology Cheatsheet
The sign-up link is in my bio
