Decoding Consumer Choices: The Psychology of Buying

Why do you buy the things you do? Why and when and from whom? I want you to take a moment and think about the last purchase you made, not something you needed like gas or groceries. Why did you buy that thing? What emotions did the item or brand make you feel to drive the decision?

The cornerstone of successful marketing strategies is the captivating world of the psychology of consumer behavior. 

Let me give you a personal example of something that happened about two or three years ago. I was attending a marketing summit. The event was held at the 21c Museum Hotel in Nashville. The venue was kinda cool and had a small museum inside of it. I stopped in one day during the breaks to look around and came across a pair of red glasses. But, not just any pair of red glasses. There was something very bold and different about the design of these glasses. 

My hope and prayer was that they would cost somewhere in the range of $75 - $95 dollars. Ha! Yeah, right. I leaned in, and the price of the frames was $300!

As someone who didn’t need glasses at the time, this was a very steep price for frames I’d use for fashion only.  So, I talked myself out of what I deemed such a ridiculous purchase. For the next two days, I walked by the museum store, and I couldn’t stop thinking about these glasses. These frames were made by Francis Klein. If you’re like me and have never heard of Francis Klein, he’s a snazzy French designer. This means the glasses were also made in France, creating something unique.

Why were these glasses invading my dreams? After a few days, I just couldn’t take it anymore, and I forked over the $300 for the frames. Why would I, a very conservative, pastel color loving kind of person pay $300 for glasses she didn’t need? 

I’ll tell you why. 

As a writer, I’m also a reader. I love learning and knowledge. There was something deep within me that felt that wearing these glasses would make me everything I want to be… bold, declarative, assuming!!! For a reader, writer, scholar type, nothing screams you are a knowledge geek more than a bold pair of glasses. These glasses would never go unnoticed as just any pair of glasses. When wearing them, they would tell the world I was a woman who valued knowledge!

There you have it - the psychology of human behavior hitting to the core of human desires. Understanding brand archetypes can help drive sometimes even the most irrational purchases. I do not want you to sell things to people that they don’t need, but rather, to sell them the things they already want but are looking for permission to buy.

Ultimately, when we talk about consumer behavior, we're essentially taking a deep dive into the psychology behind buying decisions. 

Why do people choose one product or service over another? 

What influences their choices?

How can you, as a small business owner, leverage this knowledge?

Did you know that your brand has a personality style and structure to it? Just like humans have personality styles, so do brands. Understanding your brand archetype is powerful for connecting it to the core human desires of your target audience. You might remember in the StoryBrand 7-part framework that I’ve shared with you before, every great story starts with a character who wants something, but something is getting in the way of their getting it. In business marketing, our customers are the character in the story. When we agitate the desires of our customers they enter into the story our brand is telling.

Think about why you would buy a Harley Motorcycle or a North Face coat. A Harley wakes up the inner rebel, the breaker of the status quo. The North Face appeals to people who don’t want limits. They want to explore the world and keep their options open. They’re saying, “Hey! Don’t fence me in.” Brand archetypes appeal to core human emotions within each of us. 

The brand archetype is a framework that builds emotive brands that wake up people and get them to feel things. While all brands are businesses that we have a transactional relationship with (we give them our money in exchange for something), some brands we feel a connection, loyalty, or sometimes love.

The most loved brands connect with their audience on a deeper level capturing their heart. It’s why we love some brands more than others. Because humans are all different, so are our desires. Your core desire might be innovation, while mine might be freedom and mastery. This is why some brands appeal to us more than others, and ultimately why we give our hard earned dollars to those brands.

As a business owner, you’re navigating the dynamic landscape of commerce and understanding what makes your customers buy isn’t just a beneficial thing to have.  Archetypes provide a missing link between customer motivation and sales.

When you understand the subtle intricacies and powerful drivers that influence the choices your customers make, you are better equipped to connect with your audience on a deeper level.  To learn more about brand archetypes, I’d highly recommend you read The Hero and The Outlaw by Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson. It’s such a great book! As a marketer, it’s been a game changer in how I view companies and brands.

Next, consumer psychology examines your potential customers' perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and thoughts while considering all of them when examining purchasing behavior. 

Consider the concept of emotional triggers. Have you ever wondered why medical researchers set up control groups to guard against the placebo effect? It’s because a person's condition can improve simply because a patient believes in the pill or the doctor. Researchers need to ensure the drug they’re testing really caused the cure. 

In business, our service can have a positive effect on our clients. For example, people buy home alarm systems every day. Because, once they do, they believe their home is now a fortress impenetrable from danger.

As an entrepreneur or small business owner, how does your product or service use marketing the same way as using the placebo effect?

Again, I’m not saying sell something that doesn’t truly impact your clients’ lives. I’d never recommend duplicity or manipulation. Rather, you can leverage the power of belief not only to sell your services but to help people and to command brand loyalty. 

When people believe my copywriting and marketing services can help them increase revenue, they are more likely to work with me. Is that deceitful? Not at all! I’ve got proven data from past clients who have implemented email marketing and landed deals they might not have done so otherwise. I also have clients who’ve had me rewrite their website and turn it into a lead generation machine.

For consumers, the most important role of emotion is that it pushes them to take action. 

By now you’re starting to understand that emotions play a significant role in purchasing decisions.  At this point, you might be wondering how do I figure out what those emotions are exactly. 

Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal client. 

What upsets them? 

What inspires them?

What makes them go, “Oh! I gotta have that! I need that!” 

Who do your clients become on the other side of paying for your services? 

For me and my red Francis Klein glasses, I went from quiet and tame to bold and declarative! The glasses appealed to my desire for freedom, to break free from boring. 

Once you understand their feelings, your marketing message can evoke emotions that resonate with your target audience. 

Think about Apple, their logo alone leans into the first rebellious act in the Garden of Eden. Apple's marketing message isn’t, “Hey, our computers have 120 gigs of ram. They say, “We make computers for the dreamers. Those willing to be different!” They inspire and evoke desire in creators and innovators, disruptors who aren’t ok with the status quo.

Another critical component of consumer behavior is trust. As I’ve shared with you before, I attended an event where Davis Smith, the CEO of Cotopaxi, presented on their missions and purpose in the marketplace. I’ve never forgotten his statement that every business transaction begins with trust.

You’ve also heard it said that people want to do business with those they know, like, and trust. Customers are more likely to pay for your services when they trust you. Offering transparency, authenticity, and reliability are key elements. 

How do you increase trust with consumers? Share your brand story, showcase customer testimonials, and let your audience see the human side of your business. This not only builds trust but also strengthens the emotional connection between your brand and your customers.

Don't forget the power of social proof as a way to reveal authenticity. Positive reviews, ratings, and user-generated content can significantly influence potential customers. Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences and testimonials, both online and offline.

If you’re investing your hard earned marketing dollars on advertising, make sure your advertising is meeting the needs and desires of your audience. It’s no surprise that advertising is an effective marketing tool that influences consumer behavior by attracting attention, shaping perceptions, and influencing purchase decisions. 

Some of the best kind of advertising is called interactive advertisements. This style of advertising is a type of advertising that encourages consumers to engage and interact with an ad. It becomes a two-way conversation between marketers and their audiences. 

One popular example was done by Volkswagen. The German car company has always been known for creativity in advertising, even from its earliest days. It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that they’d be a brand to embrace this kind of advertising. Volkswagen created an ad, inside a conventional magazine. The company asked readers to download an app and take their phone for a test drive along a ‘road’ fold out in the magazine. It was a pretty cool concept.

Another example was done by Verizon Wireless. You already know that the Star Wars movie franchise is one of the most popular in the world. It was a savvy move by Verizon to partner with the Star Wars franchise to create a truly interactive Twitter (or X) campaign.

Using the hashtags #TheForceAwakens and #TheoryWars, users were encouraged to submit their own theory in order to get a chance to win tickets to their newest movie. One example was when a user submitted a theory that Hans Solo had been a Jedi the whole time and didn’t know it. 

Sometimes you’re putting money into advertising that is stagnant, you’re talking to your audience. Interactive advertising allows you to have an impact on the feelings of your customers.

When you understand consumer psychology, you can design effective advertising campaigns that shape consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchase decisions through a variety of human senses.  If you’re spending money on ads that aren’t sticking, you might want to rethink your strategy using some of the things I just shared with you.

Your business and brand are more than just a logo. It’s the entire experience you provide. Consistency in messaging, visuals, and tone across all your marketing channels helps build a recognizable and trustworthy brand. The human brain loves patterns and familiar things. By consistently showcasing your brand in a way that connects with your values and appeals to your intended audience, you're creating a positive and lasting impression.

Three key takeaways:

First, understand the core human desire that your business and brand inspire or increase in the heart of your ideal client. If you’re a business coach, your services might inspire mastery! If you’re a graphic designer, your services might inspire me that it’s possible for my business to grow and become a global brand. 

Second, know why people buy your products or services. Ask your past clients what problems your services solve for them so you can write advertising, emails, or social media content that evokes the emotions of the before and after state.

Third, don’t waste your hard earned dollars on weak advertising. Create interactive advertising or campaigns that dig deep into the core human desires I mentioned through the brand archetype process.