Neuromarketing appeals to your customer’s brain

Marketing is a tricky beast. Although internet analytics have enabled marketers to get closer to producing a measurable ROI on campaigns, efforts and strategic messaging, marketing “success” is hard to measure and track. (And therefore hard to prove value to some clients at times.)

When I was introduced to neuromarketing, it was like the heavens opened and I could finally exhale knowing there is science behind consumer behavior or “smarter marketing”.

By definition, Wikipedia says neuromarketing is “a field of marketing which uses medical technologies such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to study the brain’s responses to marketing stimuli. Researchers use the fMRI to measure changes in activity in parts of the brain and to learn why consumers make the decisions they do, and what part of the brain is telling them to do it…”

According to Roger Dooley, Neuromarketing guru, he defines neuromarketing as “Neuromarketing is the application of neuroscience to marketing. Neuromarketing includes the direct use of brain imaging, scanning, or other brain activity measurement technology to measure a subject’s response to specific products, packaging, advertising, or other marketing elements. In some cases, the brain responses measured by these techniques may not be consciously perceived by the subject; hence, this data may be more revealing than self-reporting on surveys, in focus groups, etc.”

In either definition, here is what it means to me and the Boost Creative Team. Instead of relying solely on experience and intuition, we are able to site tipping points in behavior based on scientific data—we appeal to your customer’s brain.

For example, we know that marketers need to use money cues wisely.
On a restaurant menu, even a simple currency symbol in front of a price can make a difference.

• Numerical with dollar sign: $13.00
• Numerical without dollar sign or decimals: 13
• Spelled out: thirteen dollars

The researchers discovered that guests will simple numeral prices (those without dollar signs or decimals) spent significantly more than the other two groups.

Another example, buyers are skeptical of round numbers. For example, if you are selling a $599 product you will have better success if it was sold at $603. 50 than $600. The round number implies a lack of precision and makes customers wonder if $500 if a more appropriate price.

According to Roger Dooley, Neuromarketing research tells us that making choices tires the chooser’s brain and can actually make subsequent decision making more difficult. The trick is to find the optimal number of choices for your product: offering enough to ensure they can find a satisfying product, but not so many the the customer will be challenged and demotivated.

Now, I’m able to challenge my clients when they tell me they want to add more choice because they want it to look they they have a large selection and are making their company look bigger. Adding more choices may be a bad strategy.

With all this great data and science, we are able to make significant awarenesses and advancements. To me, it’s exciting and fun to use brain analytics and objective support to client needs and see change happen…it’s definitely something to think about, right?

Written by Laura Leszczynski, marketing and brand manager for Boost Creative Group