Saw this ad today…
Notice: LIMIT 2
If I went into the grocery store, walked up to the counter with 8 jars of salsa, do you really think they’d turn me down? “Sorry, only 2 per person. You’ll have to put the rest back.”
Of course they wouldn’t.
They don’t care how many I buy. Actually, they do care, which is why there is a “limit” of 2. The strategy is called anchoring. You may have gone into the store to buy only one jar of salsa, but when you see there is a “limit” of two, without realizing it this anchoring triggers a “this is a good deal” signal in you’re brain. Studies show that you’re likely to buy more when this strategy is used.
What we don’t realize about the shopping experience is that there is a motivation for everything.
Shopping in Whole Foods is theater.
Everything was set-up with a purpose. Every action was done with the motivation to get you to buy more.
Why do supermarkets spray water on the vegetables? Why do some stock produce and vegetables on ice?
Because it connotes freshness. In reality, the excess water just increases the molding potential.
Common motivations:
- Money
- Fear
- Pleasure
- Status
- Laziness
- Anger
- Excitement
Few things are ever done without a core motivation. If you can get to the root of the motivation, you’ll have a much easier time getting in the mindset of the: customer, business, employee, etc. Once you hit their core motivation for doing something, that is where you can then influence behavior.
Connect with me on Twitter: @BenNesvig
