It is becoming increasingly difficult to develop, launch and sustain a brand. Statistics are unnecessary to realize how deep the brand ocean is getting. It is overwhelming for the consumer to stay afloat and try to decipher between thousands of competing brands. The feeling is much worse for those who build and launch brands. Without a doubt there are a number of tools available that will make brand building job easier, but if everyone is using the same tools, cutting through all the clutter becomes more difficult. Successful brands go beyond the typical tools set, they utilize tools that allow them to tap into human psyche to develop, launch and build long term sustainability for their brands. One of my favorite books on this (subject) is Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Written by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. over 20 years ago; the book is the best seller and a classic. Dr. Cialdini explains the psychology of persuasion and why people say yes. He outlines six principles of persuasion that can be applied universally, including how to get consumers to like, buy and endorse your brand.
PRINCIPLES OF PERSUASION
Reciprocation. In a nutshell, you must give to get. Give your customers something: give out samples, provide great customer support or even a simple ‘thank you’ can go a long way. Giving your customer something increases the chances of them buying your products and endorsing your brand. The following article was posted today on Gizmodo: Student Writes to Steve Jobs, Gets Free Final Cut Studio 2. A simple and a genuine goodwill gesture will go a long way. Think about how you feel about Apple and how much publicity Apple and Steve Jobs will get after reading the article.
Commitment and Consistency. People tend to be fairly consistent in their behavior once they make commitment. A classic example is when car dealerships ask you to put down a refundable deposit on a car to secure it. This creates a level of commitment and the customer feels obligation to be consistent and honor the agreement in purchasing the car. Find a way to give your customer an opportunity to make commitment to your brand. For example, you can offer trial subscriptions to a magazines(if you’re a publisher), software(if you’re a developer) or online services. Commitment and consistency is also expected from the brand. Your customers will be less confused and will like your brand more if you are committed to your goals, promises and agreements, and consistent in your messaging. If you promise to provide long lasting and durable product, then do so. If you mislead your customer he or she will switch brands.
Social Proof. As individualistic as we strive to be, our behavior is strongly influenced by others. Get your brand into as many people’s hands as possible and get them to interact with it. Then let everyone else know that your software or album is the top download of the year, or that you have the #1 selling product in the country, or that you have the bestselling book.
Liking. Consumers are much more persuaded by the brands they like. Although there are a number of factors contributing to why we like one brand over another, but it is the job of the marketers and brand builders to identify the target market and build a brand that the target market will identify with and like.
Authority. We tend to obey authority figures. Get a person of certain authority, depending on your brand and product to recommend or endorse your offer. We often see toothbrush or toothpaste ads with dentists’ endorsement.
Scarcity. It’s no secret that we want things we can’t have. Perceived low supply of a product will generate demand. Depending on the type of brand you are building, you can artificially create scarcity for your brand by making it (for example) luxury; although unattainable by general public, yet desirable because of its exclusivity to the elite. Another instance where perceived scarcity generates demand and commands strict pricing for a product is in the gaming consoles industry. Every time a new generation of video game consoles hits the market the overwhelming demand is bigger than supply due to manufacturing resources available, as was the case with Nintendo Wii. Although unintentional (some may argue otherwise on case by case basis) perceived scarcity creates a steady demand and higher brand value until supply catches up.
Understanding the principles of persuasion and how it applies to your brand can be powerful component of your tool set. Using them individually or in a combination and correctly, these principles can help you build a sustainable and a powerful brand.
