6 Psychological Triggers That Help Boost Sales

The goal of this article is to help you, in a slightly different way, achieve probably the main goal of your company: higher sales. We’ll do this with the help of a world-renowned marketing genius in sales psychology, Robert Cialdini, professor of psychology and marketing who comes from the United States. Cialdini highlights six important psychological triggers that will encourage a much larger number of potential customers to respond to your offer in the affirmative. By using these strategies, you can achieve greater rise in sales and grow your business further.

The six psychological triggers that Cialdini exposes are:

• Reciprocity
• Commitment and Consistency
• Social Proof
• Authority
• Liking
• Scarcity

1. Reciprocity

Have you ever wondered why shopping malls offer free samples and tastings? It’s simple – most people, after trying a piece of bread with jam or some chocolate, feel obligated to buy the product as well. This is a good example of the principle of reciprocity in practice, which claims that whenever someone gives you something or helps you, one feels they have to offer them something in return.

Of course, not all service providers or product sellers have available a suitable channel to apply the principle of reciprocity – so, how should those business owners approach this issue?

If not in the pre-purchase process, apply the principle of reciprocity after the purchase to encourage the customer to buy your products or use your services again in the future. You can promise them a gift or a discount in advance as well. What you can also do is attach the promotional gift (such as apparel, office supplies, shopping bags, etc.) to the purchased package as a surprise.

But what about your business partners or regular clients? If you’ll be meeting with your company’s main clients in the near future or if you meet regularly with important business partners make sure to keep your company’s business gifts ready and always at hand. Surprise them with a practical and a high-quality gift with your logo.

2. Commitment and Consistency

The principle of commitment and consistency says that people will go out of their way to stay consistent, no matter what. For instance, if you want to make a big change in life, e.g., to lose weight, it can help a lot to talk about your intention in public. When you state your intentions clearly and loudly to your family, friends, co-workers, or even point it out on your Facebook profile, you are subconsciously much more persistent and put a lot more effort into achieving your goal.

It’s similar when doing business. If you can get a customer to make a very small commitment to your brand (such as subscribing to your newsletter or ordering your catalog), they are much more likely to order from you over time.

3. Liking

The principle of liking says that we are more likely to agree to an offer if we like the person that’s presenting us with the offer. That’s why good salespeople always wear a smile. This is also the reason why brands hire celebrities or influencer to promote their products – people who take a liking to the well-known individual are more likely to purchase the products or services they’re advertising.

4. Authority

People subconsciously follow authorities, and you can use this to your advantage. If you know someone with a certain degree of authority in a specific field relevant to your business (such as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, personal trainer or any other professional), have them write a review of your product or services and highlight it on your website. If possible, have them point out some of the product’s benefits. Your customers will take it as very credible, as credentials have a strong impact on the principle of authority.

5. Social Proof

We humans are social beings. We love things that others love too – whether we’re familiar with them or not. Therefore, use all the elements that testify to the popularity of your products on the website or in the catalog:

• Do you have positive articles published about your business in the media? Talk about it.
• Do you receive emails with satisfied customers’ feedback? Publish them.
• Do you have a lot of likes ir positive reviews on Facebook? Highlight them on the page.

Another tactic to apply this principle is to highlight the best-selling and most popular products in your store. The idea of “If everyone is buying it, then it must already be great,” can often be a reason to buy. Why not add the “Best-selling” badge to the best-selling products?

6. Scarcity

The last principle Cialdini exposes is the principle of fear of loss or scarcity. This one claims that people are much more motivated to buy something if they get the feeling that they may miss out on it because it’ll sell out. There are many ways to apply this principle in marketing:

• Use the limited-edition strategy – “Available only this time and never again”
• Use the final-stock strategy – “There are only 3 pieces left in stock”
• Use the ticking-clock strategy – “The campaign is valid only until midnight”