Psych! 5 Brain Tricks to Make Customers Buy

As an aside, if you’re not following the Inc page on facebook, twitter, or just regularly going there you’re missing a wealth of great business information.  With such an established magazine they report on a lot of great business topics (and really know how to write a headline, as shown above).

Below are the 5 points from their article of the same name, based on the book Brainfluence.

“Fact No. 1: People aren’t always rational thinkers. In truth, research shows that a huge amount of decision-making is actually based on subconscious factors.

In both his new book, Brainfluence, and in a recent interview, Dooley offered several ways to use “neuromarketing” to do a better job persuading consumers.

1. Clean Up Your Font

“Probably nine times out of 10 the simpler font is going to be the better choice,” Dooley says, “because the text will be more likely to be read, for one, and you’ll better convey information.”

Bottom line: Go easy on consumers’ eyes; use a clear, easy-to-read font such as Arial, for product and service descriptions as well as any instructions.

2. Don’t Show Them the Money

A restaurant currency study showed that patrons tended to be more price-conscious when dollar signs appeared alongside the prices on menus. If there was just a solo digit, by contrast—no dollar symbol, no decimal point—then spending went up.

Bottom line: If you’re a restaurateur, take dollar signs off the menu to increase your sales.

3. Remember the Senses

Look for environmental elements that you can control, like pleasant scents—even if your products don’t naturally have a smell. “You can create a scent environment that is pleasant, memorable, and distinctive that reinforces your branding,” Dooley says. “The scent will then trigger consumers’ senses and create a desire for that [the product or service].” Tests have shown that scents in shopping areas can increase sales.

Bottom line: Find creative ways to tempt customers’ senses.

4. Respond to Customers

Dooley cites one study that looked at people who complained via social media about a company or its products. When they got a prompt response—even if it wasn’t an actual apology—the majority of customers either removed their negative comment or revised it with a positive addendum. So take a minute to acknowledge what was said; it’s worth your time.

Bottom line: Keep your cool and respond to customers promptly.

5. Tell a Good Story

So whether you’re citing case studies or designing ads or other promotions, draw customers in by weaving facts and favorable information into a story format. A great story can engage customers on a deeper level; this also increases word-of-mouth marketing. “In general some of your information should be in a story format to keep your reader engaged,” Dooley says, “because if it’s all facts and all statistics, you’ll lose a lot of your audience.”

Bottom line: Turn percentages and figures into a good tale to capture—and keep—your customers’ attention.”