Psychology of Decision-Making in Sales Content Optimization

Using the Psychology of Decision-Making in Sales Content Optimization

Posted 3 years ago by Lesley Vos

First, the听question:

Living in听the听age of听unlimited options, why do听you choose a听particular product? What makes you sacrifice all the听alternatives you might need tomorrow 补苍诲听prioritize one thing over another?

Here鈥檚 the听hint:

It鈥檚 not because you need it. With the听internet being the听#1听source of听information today, it鈥檚 the听content used by听online marketers to听influence your decision 补苍诲听convince you to听purchase a听product. They understand the听psychology of听decision-making 补苍诲听optimize sales content accordingly.

In听this article, you鈥檒l reveal the听psychological concepts behind choices 补苍诲听decisions 补苍诲听learn how to听use them in听marketing content to听get more customers for听your business.

The Psychology of听Decision-Making

Imagine the听situation:

One day you wake up听补苍诲听understand you need a听new laptop. You go听online, see dozens of听offers there, compare features 补苍诲听prices, and鈥� buy the听one you didn鈥檛 consider best while searching.

A听few weeks later, you sit at听that new laptop 补苍诲听think something like, 聯Well, it鈥檚 nice, but I听should have taken that one from XXX.聰

It鈥檚 the听work of听one of听the听five psychological concepts influencing our decisions:

Emotional Outburst when Comparing Multiple Offers

The more options we听have, the听more difficult it听is听for听our brain to听decide which one to听choose. The proves it:

Overthinking a听product leads to听an听emotional outburst that signals our brain to听choose faster. As听a听result, we听often follow emotional rather than rational factors when comparing multiple products on听different websites. 滨迟听takes milliseconds:

聯So, anyway, this one seems nice听鈥� I听take it!聰

To听get the听most out of听this psychological trick, marketers craft content appealing to听positive feelings 补苍诲听emotions. According to听the听Wharton University of听Pennsylvania , the听best instruments here are humor, personalization, 补苍诲听catering to听the听pursuit of听happiness.

Show consumers how your product or听service will make them feel, 补苍诲听it听will convert much better than your rational explanations of听its features. Emotional product videos, ads,听鈥� remember the听guys from Dollar Shave Club who blew up听the听internet in听due time?听鈥� 补苍诲听catchy custom visuals at听landing pages can do听wonders here.

Epicurrence created a听landing page with signature visuals

The Psychology of听Usefulness

Digital consultant defines the听cognitive process determining people to听stay loyal to听a听product as听the听need to听find usefulness before trying it.

And here鈥檚 the听kicker:

Our brain is听lazy, 补苍诲听that鈥檚 why it听determines usefulness as听something that is听most effective if听allowing to听spend less time 补苍诲听risk judging it.

When judging usefulness, the听brain goes through a听few steps to听determine whether a听product/service is听worth loyalty to. Again, it鈥檚 more about emotions than rationality:

How people determine whether a听product is听worth loyalty

As听Gord says,

聯Our brains use a听quicker 补苍诲听more heuristic method to听mediate our output of听effort听鈥� emotions. Frustration 补苍诲听anxiety tell us听it鈥檚 time to听move on听to听the听next site or听application. Feelings of听reward 补苍诲听satisfaction indicate we听should stay right where we听are.聰

So, the听task of听marketing content is听to听induce positive emotions from a听reader. They communicate that the听usefulness of听a听product is听higher than the听perceived risk, while negative emotions indicate the听opposite.

The Framing Bias

While the听standard model of听rational choice in听decision-making that people strive to听make the听most rational choice possible, the听framing bias beats it听all:

滨迟听 that we听build decisions based on听our attitude rather than facts about something. The 聯frame聰 presenting the听information influences our reaction 补苍诲听choice.

For example, a听聯97% effective聰 product will be听more convertible than one with 聯just a听3%听failure rate.聰

One fact about a听product can influence a听purchase decision, depending on听the听context a听marketer uses to听represent it. Through framing, content creators can elicit positive rather than negative emotions from a听reader, thus determining his attitude toward a听marketing message they are trying to听communicate.

How do听marketers 聯frame聰 the听information?

They use power words that trigger emotions, ensure their content has a听surplus value 补苍诲听strong information scent, 补苍诲听consider the听color psychology 补苍诲听principles of听consistency when designing their marketing assets.

More on听that is听below.

Storytelling

Only the听lazy didn鈥檛 hear the听frenzy about the听power of听storytelling in听marketing. And it听makes sense:

People retain of听information through stories, but only 10%听鈥� through data 补苍诲听statistics. So, if听you want to听build emotional connections with the听audience 补苍诲听make them remember your brand, storytelling is听the听best instrument for听that.

How storytelling affects the听brain ()

Stories influence the听human brain, activating the听areas responsible for听experiences. When reading a听brand story, people feel as听if听it听really happens, get engaged through empathy, 补苍诲听feel connected.

Such an听emotional response more than bare facts about a听product鈥檚 features 补苍诲听price. People use personal feelings to听evaluate a听brand, 补苍诲听that is听why emotions rather than other judgments determine customer loyalty.

The Anchoring 补苍诲听Processing Fluency Biases

The anchoring bias is听our tendency to听rely on听the听first piece of听information we听get. Moreover, that first information how we听further evaluate similar things.

Isn鈥檛 that why salespeople often start product presentations with a听high price 补苍诲听lower it? 聯Anchoring聰 with the听first info they got, people start considering a听discount the听profitable offer to听accept.

Anchoring effect illustrated ()

Well, it听seems the听first impression truly matters!

The processing fluency bias refers to听the听notion that we听tend to听believe that things which are simpler to听understand are more credible. The brain associates fluency with a听positive experience, creating a听sense of听false familiarity 补苍诲听thus enhancing trust.

In听other words, our opinion of听something depends on听how easily we听understand it. We听prefer information that is听easier to听get, 补苍诲听we听.

To听get how it听works, try answering the听question:

聯How many animals of听each kind did Moses take on听the听Ark?聰

Oops!

Another example of听the听processing fluency bias is听how we听interpret texts based on听the听font style they鈥檙e written in: Common 补苍诲听easy-to-read fonts in听our ability to听digest the听information.

Causes 补苍诲听judgmental consequences of听processing fluency ()

That is听why processing fluency is听critical in听user experience design: a听website鈥檚 usability improvement can influence conversion rates by听far.

How to听Use These Psychological Concepts in听Content

People are more likely to听choose what they know 补苍诲听. 滨迟听explains why we听buy iPhones 补苍诲听drink at听Starbucks even if听we听don鈥檛 consider these brands the听best ones in听their niche:

With all the听above psychological concepts influencing our decisions, it鈥檚 clear that we听choose products that look familiar, evoke positive associations, 补苍诲听are easy to听understand.

So, organize 补苍诲听optimize your marketing content accordingly听鈥� 补苍诲听your target audience will find you.

Here鈥檚 how to听do听that:

Design 滨迟听to听Look Familiar

For people, your brand is听a听sign. As听Harvard Business School professor Susan Fournier noted, it听聯has no听objective existence at听all: it听is听simply a听collection of听perceptions held in听the听consumer鈥檚 mind.聰

People use a听so-called semiotic branding triangle to听define your brand 补苍诲听its message:

Identity: A听brand鈥檚 mission, story, values, equity, 补苍诲听the听product itself.
Communication: A听brand鈥檚 logo, slogans, 补苍诲听content.
Ethos: A听brand鈥檚 reputation 补苍诲听the听way consumers perceive it.

A听semiotic branding triangle provides a听process to听define a听brand 补苍诲听its interpretations ()

For the听audience to听define your product 补苍诲听choose it听among others, you need to听attend to听all three elements. It鈥檚 a听time- 补苍诲听energy-consuming process, 补苍诲听the听minimum you can do听is听to听pay attention to听your brand communication:

Design everything so听that people recognize your content once they see it. When looking familiar to听the听brain, it鈥檚 easier to听decide in听favor of听this particular item.

How to听make the听content look familiar?

Use brand colors throughout content assets at听different marketing channels for听users to听recognize you.
Design custom images of听the听same style for听your content assets; avoid stock photos or听generic visuals users see on听dozens of听other websites.
Place your logo where applicable across all channels you use for听content promotion.

Also: How To听Create An听Awesome Logo For Your Brand

Also, consider the听principle of听consistency when designing your marketing content:

Use the听same fonts for听headlines 补苍诲听the听same content formats, 补苍诲听remember to听develop your brand鈥檚 tone of听voice.

The tone of听voice is听how your brand sounds 补苍诲听speaks to听the听audience. 滨迟听needs to听be听consistent throughout all your messages for听consumers to听get used to听it:

Use the听same words, speech patterns, 补苍诲听sentence structures in听all the听content.
Decide on听the听tone you鈥檒l use when speaking to听the听audience: Is听your brand their friend, partner, or听teacher? Is听it听formal or听friendly? Does it听use humor in听communication?

Create a听brand book, aka guidelines for听your content writers 补苍诲听designers, to听follow the听principles of听coherency in听brand communication. Like Mailchimp, Coca-Cola, 补苍诲听many other brands did.

An听extract from the听Skype brand book ()

Ensure Your Content Has a听Strong Information Scent

As听stated by听, information scent is听about 聯the strength of听relevant messaging throughout the听customer journey as听well as听visual 补苍诲听textual cues that provide website visitors with hints on听what information a听site contains.聰

A听robust information scent of听your content ensures processing fluency 补苍诲听serves the听psychology of听usefulness.

In听today鈥檚 world of听content shock 补苍诲听short attention span, when people scan, not read, your content online, they need some visual clues that help them understand they鈥檙e at听the听right place to听solve their problems.

What you can do听with content for听that:

Stay consistent with headlines, CTA colors, 补苍诲听imagery throughout all the听pages of听your sales funnel.
Make content easy to听read: Consider a听color-contrast ratio for听your texts to听contrast with backgrounds.
Make content navigation clear: Link information to听correct pages for听users to听understand what they鈥檒l see.
Avoid overloading with calls to听action: Users should understand what they can do听on听a听page; stick to听the听聯one page =听one CTA聰 rule.

Format for听Scanning 补苍诲听Better Readability

Our attention span is听shrinking, so听marketers have around 8听seconds to听connect with a听potential customer. Some even insist on听the听 here:

People scan content for听meaningful headlines 补苍诲听visual clues that would help them understand if听they are at听the听right place 补苍诲听want to听learn more. With that in听mind, you need to听format the听content accordingly 补苍诲听 before publishing.

How to听format content for听scanning:

Write in听short sentences 补苍诲听paragraphs.
Use subheadings, bullet points, bolded words,, 补苍诲听other visual hooks for听readers to听scan your content faster.
Remember about visuals: images, videos, charts, graphs, 补苍诲听other elements听鈥� the听human brain perceives them than text, so听it鈥檚 your chance to听motivate readers to听learn more.
Craft clear yet emotional headlines. Add the听element of听urgency for听users to听feel they鈥檒l lose something if听they don鈥檛 check your information right now. Tools like Emotional Headline Analyzer can help determine the听emotional value of听your headlines.

When your content is听ready, check its readability scores via tools like Grammarly or听Readable. According to听, who had been doing PR听for听Apple for听ten years, a听text should be听simple enough to听be听聯easily understood by听an听average 4th-grade student or听lower.聰

Use Power Words 补苍诲听Human Language

Words you use in听the听content can make people feel a听certain way about it. Depending on听the听emotion you want to听evoke from a听consumer, consider power words 补苍诲听avoid plague ones.

Power words are lexical items that appeal to听our fears 补苍诲听desires, 补苍诲听that is听why they are so听compelling 补苍诲听persuasive when met in听texts. Seasoned copywriters Jon Morrow 补苍诲听Henneke Duistermaat described such words best.

According to听, power words are descriptive 补苍诲听persuasive words that create a听strong emotional response in听people. They can make people feel scared, excited, angry, or听curious. Using these words helps make content more interesting 补苍诲听persuasive.

Duistermaat gives lots of听examples of听emotional power words:

Examples of听emotional power words according to听Henneke Duistermaat ()

At听the听same time, do听your best to听speak the听same language as听your target audience. Use human language, be听specific, consider words your audience speaks daily, 补苍诲听avoid .

Add a听Surplus Value

The psychology of听decision-making doesn鈥檛 let people trust only one source, so听make yours stand out from others. For that, add some surplus value to听your marketing content.

People visit a听minimum of听three websites before they find what they want. More than that, before they decide to听buy! Trustworthy testimonials, true-life comments from other customers, recommendations from influencers听鈥� all can become a听surplus value to听add to听your content.

A听few advanced tips:

Add photos of听your customers to听reviews. Seeing the听faces of听real people behind testimonials, we听trust them more.
Allow customers to听vote for听reviews as听Amazon did. Supported by听extra opinions, such comments look more trustworthy.

Besides customer reviews 补苍诲听other types of听social proof, consider surplus values like referencing authoritative resources 补苍诲听crafting comprehensive content that leaves no听questions.

Wrapping Up

Do听you know that it听takes to听simulate one second of听human brain activity?

Yeah, choices are difficult, 补苍诲听decisions are even more challenging to听make. Considering the听psychological factors behind them, you can optimize the听web content to听influence customers鈥� decisions 补苍诲听motivate them to听choose your products or听services.

听

About The Author

Lesley Vos is a professional copywriter and guest contributor, currently blogging at . Specializing in data research, web text writing, and content promotion, she is in love with words, non-fiction literature, and jazz. Visit her Twitter @LesleyVos to say hi and see more works.

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