“Our unconscious mind drives how we respond to ads, brands and products, in other words, all our buying decisions.”
According to neuroscientists, there are 3 main parts
in our brain nestled inside one another
- The "Human" (New) Brain: Most evolved part of the brain known as the cortex.
- The "Mammalian" (Middle) Brain: Also known as the limbic system.
- The "Reptilian" (Old) Brain: Also known as the R Complex controls our basic survival functions and drives our customers' buying decisions.
THE "REPTILIAN BRAIN" AND PROFITS: 7
CRITICAL INSIGHTS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT HOW AND WHY YOUR CUSTOMER BUYS
1.- The
old brain is driven by emotions.
Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate
with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers'
emotions and influence their buying behavior.
2.- The
old brain "decides" on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.
Key lesson: Add more joy and pleasure to the buying
process, such and you will reset the customer's "value meter."
3.- The
old brain is highly influenced by beginnings and endings.
Key lesson: In marketing, for your message to be
accepted, it is critical to leave a strong first impression -- like a
compelling story, a big smile, etc.
4.- The
old brain is visually oriented and responds rapidly to images.
Key learning: Improve and deliver your core marketing
message visually -- eg., the design of your product, images in an ad, external
packaging, etc.
5.- The
old brain perceives the "pain of buying" in relative, not absolute,
terms.
Key lesson:
- Emphasize "sales" prices (which does not activate pain in the old brain)
- Utilize "package" pricing over pricing of individual components (the latter shows greater pain activity in the old brain)
- Series of small "bite-size' investments in place of one large investment (Netflix)
Key lesson: To speak to the old brain, you must use tangible "benefits" -- ie., what a customer will see, feel, hear, taste or smell as a result. Or use metaphors to make your benefits more tangible.
7.- The
old brain's control over buying decisions varies from culture to culture.
Key lesson: Adapt your marketing communications to
each culture and what part of their brain drives buying decisions. Use
emotional appeal with Americans; use logic with European cultures.