The promotion of new products often leads us to believe that we have an unsolvable problem, even though this may not be the case. For example, cosmetic brands might convince you to buy anti-aging products before you even need them. Or, the urgent desire you get when you frequently see a certain new bag on Instagram.
Let’s not even talk about The Row hype or the Dyson Airwrap taking the world by storm..
Thanks to social media, digital marketing, influencers, and effective advertising, our purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced. But do you ever think about why you end up buying all that stuff?
That’s what I want to delve into.
FOMO
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through Instagram’s shopping page and coming across a product you suddenly feel you just have to have? The next thing you know, you’re on the brand’s website, adding items to your shopping cart. But as you go to enter your payment information, you pause and realize you’re not even sure how this product will benefit your life. Somehow, the marketing material has created a feeling that you just can’t live without it. Everyone else seems to have it, so you cannot miss out, right?
Sounds familiar?
This scenario highlights that many of our purchase decisions are not based on actual needs. Instead, we end up buying things because we fear missing out on the promised benefits, such as improved results, style, or status (hello FOMO). We might even feel foolish for not having thought of this “solution” to our newfound problem earlier and rush to buy whatever the solution might be.
But where does this feeling come from?
How Effective Marketing Convinces Us to Buy
Marketers are experts at getting us to buy things we never thought we needed. They are skilled at persuading us and *manipulating* our choices. A common strategy is to make us feel like we’re part of an exclusive group or that time is running out to get something special.
Creating a Sense of Urgency
Creating a sense of urgency is a common technique used by marketers to persuade potential customers to make a purchase. By making the customer feel like they need the product urgently or that there is a limited quantity available, marketers can push them toward a positive purchase decision. This is often achieved through short-term discounts, limited-time offers, or communication that urges the customer to act quickly or risk missing out.
However, the irony of these tactics is that if the customer doesn’t actually need the product, they are essentially creating unnecessary pressure for themselves. This can lead to the belief that they are somehow missing out if they don’t purchase the product. In this way, marketers can manipulate customers into making purchases they may not have otherwise made.
Exclusivity
When access to a group is restricted, we talk about exclusivity. The feeling of exclusivity can be created in many ways, such as providing certain products or services only to a select few or simply by creating an image of exclusivity in the prospects’ minds. However, it’s good to remember that exclusivity is often a marketing tool rather than a real value proposition.
The Role of Influencers in Purchasing Decisions
Social media influencers play a significant role in purchasing decisions, especially for the younger generation. When one knows what they want their life to look like and someone else is already living it, it’s easy to copy the same things by buying the same products and services.
For example, consider events for social media influencers, to which only those with a large number of followers are invited. These sponsored events often include lavish trips, dinners, and other activities that the invited individuals post about on their social media accounts. This can easily create a feeling among their followers that they are somehow in a lower position because they cannot participate in these events. To remedy this situation, these followers subconsciously start mimicking these influencers and end up buying products featured in their posts, alleviating the feeling of being left out.
Compelling Copywriting
Besides concrete social media influencing, traditional advertisements, especially the text in them, are powerful tools. Generating marketing materials’ text content (copywriting) is a skill on its own, but generally, effective ways to capture the reader’s attention in a few seconds with text include:
- Catchy headlines
- Clear communication
- Focusing on benefits
- Appealing to emotions
- Calls to action
- Storytelling
Conclusion
Whenever you notice yourself thinking about buying a product or service that you hadn’t considered before, stop for a moment and ask yourself if you really need what you’re about to buy, or if the marketing for the product is just really effective.
