Mega corporations with deep marketing budgets spend $millions to understand the decision-making triggers of their customers.  They have one objective in mind - to activate the "buy" button. To that end, volunteers are hypnotized, PET scanned, EEGed and monitored like Dr. Pavlov's puppies - all in an effort to determine what makes them buy.

At AboutPeople, we encourage any initiative that helps us better understand how brains are wired and how this wiring influences decision making.  But, we're even bigger fans of simpler, more practical approaches that small to mid-sized business can actually implement. 

In our research, we've discovered that the most effective way to inspire people to trust you through marketing is through a 4-step process.  It's a psychological process and it has been a special focus of ours for more than twenty years.  Here are the steps:

The 4-step Psychological Marketing Process:

1.  Target Market.  Understand the psychology of the target market. What industry, job title, values do your target market possess?  You can gather bits of useful information from each of those, then put them together. What you'll assemble is actually a profile that will guide your marketing, so it's received with open arms by your target market.

For us, buiilding the profile and understanding the target market is an art form.  This is a skill set drawn from many years of experience.  This is also one of the benefits our coaching clients receive.  We help them identify and fine tune the description of their target market.  And, it's a good thing we're here to do it because every description we've ever gotten from a client has been either illogical or unusable.

2.  Message.  Create a message that is relevant. Obviously, a message that fails to hit the target's hot button is irrelevant.

The message relevance is based on several considerations, including the target market's values. We can quickly determine if your message is on target or dysfunctional. 

3.  Language.  Use their language.  We call it, "speaking the language of your target market."  What's contained in their language?  Almost anything that causes your target market to pay closer attention - to you.  Thus, it's not limited to words or linguistic structures.  It can be color or graphics.  It can also be a smell or sound. 

Most of us have six senses, each of them carries a message.  What we do is help you communicate the most effective message in the most effective way - the way that causes your target market to pay closer attention.  

4.  Media.  Deliver the message in multiple media. Just think how much more effective your program will be when you use (for example):  email, twitter, published articles, fax, greeting cards and phone calls. 

Our own business began as a marketing consultancy.  And, we continue to help our clients improve their results.  Why should this be important to you?  Because this is psychology, and most business people - heck, even most marketing people - do not understand it.  At AboutPeople, we have deep backgrounds in psychology, so we do understand it.  Want to know how you can use it?  Just contact us.

Begin Now!  3 Key Marketing Psychology Tips

Here are three Marketing Psych insights you can put to use right away.  Want more?  Look to the right and sign up for our Inner Circle newsletter.  We'll send you our newest and most effective insights.  You'll get discounts, free resources and additional opportunities to improve your business - and it's all free from AboutPeople. 

1. Start with a Truth Frame. A Truth Frame is three things that are immediately and obviously true. The more those things relate to the reader, the more effective they will be. This technique nudges the reader into trusting you. Like a snowball starting to roll down a hill, the Truth Frame begins to build momentum for you as a trustworthy resource.

2. Don't tell them what not to do. It's a psychological law that the subconscious mind follows positive commands.  Such as:  "blink your eyes, inhale deeply, start to relax, exhale, hear the sound of crickets..."

In order to comprehend "negative advice" like "Don't Mess with Texas," or "Don't' drink and drive," or "Stop thinking about sex," the reader first has to access the image of what you're saying not to do. The "sex" thing is perfect example. In order to stop thinking about it, you first have to begin to think about it. So, when your marketing says, "Don't Delay!" you're actually encouraging people to procrastinate.

 3. Give them choices - but not too many.  Customers want to feel in control and free to choose, so it’s important to give them choices, but not too many. Our brains can only focus on so many things at one time.  Giving someone too many choices will ultimately backfire on your because it confuses the mind.  And, a confused mind rarely ever buys.   

How many is too many?  Rule of thumb says no more than three. More than three and you're creating confusion.  Less than three and you risk creating limitation - unless those one or two options are absolutely perfect for us.  

Bottom Line.  Inside your customer’s head is a robot. It wants to do good, and it's waiting for direction. But it will only accept the direction when it's given in the right language and in the right structure. Your job is to figure out what the appropriate language and structures are. Only then can you actually communicate with it, and only then can you inspire that robot to make a purchase decision.

As you can see, all of these nuggets of psycho-truth come into play in marketing.  If you fail to use them, you are seriously limiting your chance of success.  So, how can you learn to use this area of psychology in your marketing?  Two ways:  1) buy our book Beyond Wave Marketing - how to add credibility to your relationship marketing program.  It is an excellent book on psychological marketing strategies.  2) contact us. 

Marketing is highly specific.  Using psychological language in your specific marketing requires a highly customized approach.  We can help you create it and put it together so you get the greatest likelihood of success.

More Articles on this Topic:

How Your Clients & Prospects Really See You - Understanding the Hidden Messages You Communicate.  Pam Holloway, September 1, 2001.

Subliminal Influence. Michael Lovas. Finding Gold.  Judy Diamond.com.  January 2001

Use the Language of Your Targets. Michael Lovas, DMNews, September 2000