
There are some things about us as humans that are fundamentally the same, which our marketing strategies may overlook. Focusing on these key similarities is a strategic way that savvy marketers do their jobs more effectively. Simply put, focusing on what unites us can help you to sell more.
1. Scarcity
As humans we inherently value something when there is less of that thing. When something is scarce it's typically more expensive and often in higher demand. Its rarity makes us want it more and therefore, it becomes more desirable – this is called The Scarcity Principle in marketing.
So, what should you do if your product isn’t actually scarce? In an industry where there is widespread availability of the products and services that you're offering, looking for ways to play on scarcity can help drive purchase behaviors. Highlighting how many are left of a particular product or how many were made in total helps to create a scarcity that can drive product demand.
And while this may seem like a smarmy tactic to gain more sales, it really isn’t because it both informs consumers and highlights the product’s value. If there are only 5 of a particular product left in stock, your customers want to know that because it helps inform their purchase decision. And if only 50 were ever made, that can establish the product as more valuable because there are only a small number of them available before they’re gone.
2. Fear of Missing Out
Everyone (no matter their age) has at least some degree of FOMO. It's just a fact of life. We are afraid that we are going to miss out on something great that someone else got to experience. Whether this is not being able to buy a particular product or getting to do something, we desperately want what other people have.
Everyone hates the tension of that “what if” feeling (“What if I miss the chance to get this product at a deeply discounted price?” or “What if I don’t get this now while it’s in stock and then its backordered later?” or “What if I don’t learn how to adopt this new technology before the next generation rolls out?”). Understanding that is key to creating messaging that resonates.
But don’t use this as a manipulation tactic to play on your audience’s anxiety. Instead, use it to inform your audience and capture those sales that you’d otherwise miss out on from consumers that are still on the fence about making a purchase. Focus on building trust by not overusing “last chance” and “lowest price of the season” language. Establish your brand as trustworthy by only using this kind of language when it’s true so that your customers can depend on your word.
3. Social Proof
We inherently trust something more when more people have that thing and can vouch for it, which is why social proof is so effective. It goes along with FOMO in that it uses others to help sell a product to an individual consumer.
Social proof makes a product seem more appealing by tying it to how many people have it and how they’re using it as well as who has it. This is the basis of why influencer marketing has become so popular. Tie ins with social media help your consumers to know which of their friends, family members, and colleagues are using your products or services to sell them more effectively. Highlighting satisfied customers can help to close the sale as well as increase demand by creating a pull rather than a push marketing strategy.
Using social proof can not only create demand but also leverage your existing customer base to sell your products by spurring offline testimonials and word of mouth marketing to capitalize on the recent trend of dark social influence.
4. Association with The Familiar
When your customer base is already familiar with an offering that is like the one you're trying to sell or can complement the one you're trying to sell, highlight that that familiarity and understanding. Create a strong emotional response either as a pro (highlighting similarities) or a con (highlighting differences).
You can highlight another product that's like yours for a company that has a larger market share and explain how yours is very much like theirs with these few key differences or at a different price point. Or you can highlight a product that is like yours and point to all the ways but it's different and why yours is better. This is where you see companies making direct competitor comparisons to sway consumers who are on the fence about which product or brand they're going to go with for their purchase. Both approaches can persuade consumers to make a purchase by better informing them about their options, which is a win-win for everyone involved.
5. Values Alignment
Consumers are more than just their purchases – they have values, beliefs, ideals, perceptions, skills, and desires. Sell more than just your product or service by aligning it with a consumer’s beliefs and values set. As the saying goes, “People don't buy products they buy better versions of themselves.” Explain the ways in which your products or services help reinforce your consumers identities and priorities and help them to be better versions of themselves. For example, if you sell water bottles don’t tout their capacity and durability, highlight how they’re better for the environment and how they’re a great travel companion for your customers’ most exciting outdoor adventures.
Leveraging these five universalities across all people provides a surefire strategic approach to acquiring and retaining customers better. When you need content written in line with this type of marketing approach, please reach out to us. We offer content creation and copywriting services to companies looking to expand their reach and improve their effectiveness. Our extensive content marketing experience can help bolster any of these strategies to find and foster success. Contact us today to find out more!