18 Powerful Psychological Principles that Drive Direct Marketing
by Dean Rieck
Too many direct marketing gurus profess simplistic ideas about psychology. They insist that people — perhaps the most complex biological creatures on Earth — can be understood with a checklist of motivators or pyramid of needs. I even once had a consultant stand up during one of my lectures and claim that the only fact anyone needs to understand is that people act out of “fear.” Period.
What nonsense! I can’t even figure out why the bagger at the grocery checkout puts three hundred cat food cans in one bag and a single stick of celery in another so that I’m forced to lurch to my car leaning to one side. How can I possibly encapsulate the whole human experience in a five-point checklist?
Such simple solutions are attractive, but ultimately limiting. When it comes to people, you have to learn what you can, but always keep an open mind. Because just when you think you have everything figured out, someone does something you never expected.
That’s why I so strongly advocate endless testing, insist on thinking carefully about every marketing challenge, and remain a dedicated student of that fascinating, bewildering, and wonderful creature, Homo sapiens. Read more on How Powerful Psychological Principles Can Help You to Sell…
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Filed under Psychology by on May 23rd, 2009. Comment. 
I want to talk to you about “Give” and “Take”.
We take this for granted; we know that to get along with others we have to give sometimes and we on our part expect to get sometimes.
Give and take is part of the social glue that binds communities together. A simple example is seen at Christmas time. When you receive a card from someone you generally feel obliged to send one to them.
This is called the law of reciprocity or reciprocation.
Knowing this can be very good for your business or charity. A well known example of using this law is taken from the fundraising of the Hare Krishna group. Well their fund raising just did not work so they changed the way they did it…
Yeah, instead of just asking you for a donation they gave you a flower. Holding a beautiful flower in your hand it was very different being asked for a donation!
Nearly everyone gave. Of course the donations more than compensated for the cost of the flowers!
Why did they give? Reciprocity, that’s why!
We’ll come back to this subject in later posts but if you are interested then just read “ Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini - which is as interesting to read as any thriller!
Let’s move this to Internet Marketing now…
I’ve posted elsewhere on the basics and background of Give Away events.
Now you can see the basic psychology running the event – if I scratch your back you’ll scratch mine!
“I give you some free stuff and you give me your email address.”
This is how I can begin to build my optin list.
And while I will send you some more free information you will give me money in return when I make you an offer for a great product. You will feel obliged…
I have made it seem very crude here to make it clear. Make no mistake, this is a deep and powerful drive within the human heart.
And since all business is about building relationships you can see that a deep knowledge of the law of reciprocity is essential to build a healthy online business.
Just remembered – someone I barely know did me a huge favour today and without realising it I offered a favour in return.
It is how we are built.
Using this knowlege constructovely and with integrity can powerfully expand your buisness.
Feedback please – I have written a great blog post for you here…
Resources
- Robert Cialdini – Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion
- http://www.newbie-on-the-net.com/blog/176/why-giving-is-good-for-business/
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Filed under Giveaway Events by on Apr 26th, 2009. Comment.
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