You Don't Need a Big Budget to Do Neuroscience Marketing

Neuroscience is the study of the function of the nervous system and brain, and this includes fields such as psychology, psychiatry and physiology. Neuroscience marketing considers the findings and research generated by these areas to influence a customer’s buying decision.

While this sounds sophisticated, it's not that difficult to understand and implement. All you need to do is to tap into your customer’s subconscious mind. Well, maybe that does sound complex, so here are some tips that can help simplify the process:

1. The influence of emotions.

The subconscious mind is influenced by emotion, which is why ad campaigns with heart and humor tend to appeal to people more than a generic introduction to a product. You need to create ad campaigns that connect emotionally with your audience. You can also influence your customers by providing sensory stimuli that trigger an emotional response.

For example, an avid reader will be emotionally stimulated by the scent of books.

Related: 50 Easy Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website

2. Visual stimuli work better.

People respond better to images because sight is one of the first senses we develop, and we quickly start assigning emotional meaning to images. For example, red and green colors with a sprinkling of white can immediately invoke the festive spirit. You can use such visual stimuli to trigger an emotional response and encourage people to buy your products.

3. Clever pricing works.

Ever wonder why products are priced at $499 or $999 instead of $500 or $1,000? The difference might be marginal, but our subconscious brains interpret it differently. The cost of the product triggers an immediate pain response, especially if we perceive it as expensive. That pain is lessened when the product is priced $999 instead of $1,000.

4. Powerful and tangible proof appeals to the subconscious.

Shoppers always subconsciously look for real results. That's why my partner and I chose to design our new company site with tangible results, case studies and actual screenshots of our successes. Another example is that shoppers are more likely to purchase a slimming tea if the product claims it’ll make them “look better” rather than claiming it would make them “feel better.”

Related: The No. 1 Reason Your Online Business Isn't Making Money

5. Different cultures respond differently.

If you intend to market to a culturally diverse audience, keep in mind that different people have different subconscious triggers. What is acceptable and appealing to one culture won’t be to another.

Understanding customer preferences, moods and emotions are the key to a successful marketing campaign. Unfortunately, it's usually hit or miss. That’s where neuroscience comes in and can help take your marketing and conversion game to that next level. It's simple -- just learn how to read people's minds, or more realistically, use these insights as the starting point.