Google carried out research on how people buy online and identified 6 “biases” that determine purchasing decisions.
Here’s a handy checklist based on that research to see if you tick all the boxes (or not)
1. Category heuristics
This is a shortcut that helps in decision-making like say the megapixels in a phone camera. What’s important is that the criteria is relevant to the buyer. For example, when buying a car in Bangalore acceleration may not matter as much as mileage, because, well, traffic jams.
I advise clients to own a ‘superlative’ ie be the best/biggest/first/fastest etc. That superlative ideally should be in the area most relevant to your customers.
Do you know what your customer really cares about? And do you have a compelling proposition around that attribute?
✔ Yes! I have identified a cool heuristic
2. Authority Bias
If someone you respect tells you the product is good, you tend to use that as a shortcut to decision-making. Enter the influencers!
✔ I have an endorsement
3. Social Proof
When we’re uncertain about a choice, we tend to follow the cues of others. This is why word of mouth works so well, and in the digital world it is easy to propagate.
✔ I have testimonials
4. Power of Now
It’s not just toddlers – we all want everything now! Even if we no longer express our wants by screaming. The faster your ability to fulfil the need the more likely you are to conclude the transaction. Even if you can’t deliver the whole thing at once, see if you can get a part of the product or service done immediately.
✔ Purchasers will immediately get something
5. Scarcity Bias
The last ice-cream in the fridge always tastes the best…Even more if others also want it. Limited period offers and specials are always attractive, as we feel we are getting a ‘deal’. If an offer is open all the time then there is no hurry to make a decision.
✔ My offer is restricted by time or access or both6. Power of Free
Advertisers love the word “free” and with good reason. Your product doesn’t have to be free, but you can give something free with it. We are not as rational as we would like to believe.
✔ Customers will get something free
If your marketing isn’t pulling its weight, maybe it is because one of these 6 is either not complete or not visible to your customers.
And ok, google didn’t say your marketing sucks if it doesn’t do all this. Just that good marketing does all of this 🙂
Read the complete research here https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/navigating-purchase-behavior-and-decision-making/
