How to Make Your Product Stand Out: 3 Psychological Tactics
Rana Hazem
1/3/20255 min read
Purchasing a product or a service goes beyond simply clicking a button on your website or making it to the cashier in your store. There’s a reason why people camped out at Target to buy the Stanely cup, or why grocery store aisles are designed a certain way. It’s pure psychology.
While many marketing strategies emphasize the “buyer journey” that follows customer paths from awareness to decision, there’s no universal linear path that every customer takes to reach that final stage. So, understanding the psychology behind human behavior is essential to plan out a successful marketing strategy.
But you’re only a human after all, you can’t possibly have the time to master both marketing and psychology while running your business. That’s why, in this blog post, I’ll cover 3 practical psychological tactics to help make your product stand out.
What is A Product?
The foundation of any business and its marketing strategy lies in the marketing mix, with the “Product” at its core. To build an effective strategy, you need to clearly understand what you’re selling, why you’re selling it, what makes it unique and what problem it solves or desires it fulfills.
This foundational understanding sets the stage for successfully applying the following psychological tactics.
1. The Framing Effect: It’s All About Perspective
Is the glass half empty or half full? That is the question. The Framing Effect focuses on how you “frame” your product’s attributes. Is your yogurt 97% fat-free or does it contain 3% fat? Both statements are true, but they would translate differently in your customers’ minds due to their cognitive bias.
How to Use the Framing Effect in your Marketing:
You can make your product more appealing to your target audience by emphasizing its positive attributes. For example, saying "97% fat-free" attracts health-conscious consumers more effectively than "contains 3% fat."
1. Highlighting Product Benefits:
2. Risk Communication:
Knowing that there’s a 10% failure is different from knowing that there’s a 90% success rate. Emphasizing success rates rather than failure rates creates a sense of reliability.
3. Promotional Messaging:
Framing your discounts in a certain way can influence purchase decisions. Describing a product as "now 20% off" or "was $50, now $40" provides clear value,even when each statement appeals differently to different customers.
4. Product Comparisons:
When comparing your products or different plans for a service, framing can highlight advantages. Positioning a product or a plan as "more efficient", directing attention to its benefits.
5. Behavioral Nudges:
You can encourage certain behaviors through positive framing. For example, promoting a reusable bag by stating "Join the movement towards a greener planet".
6. Service Descriptions:
Set positive expectations for your customers, e.g., "arrives in 2 days" instead of "2-day delay."
There’s no right or wrong way to apply the Framing Effect, it’s about testing different wordings to see which resonates most with your audience.
2. The Mere Exposure Effect: Familiarity Breeds Fondness
Do I have a crush on them, or do I just see them regularly? That is another question. The Mere Exposure Effect suggests that people develop a preference for things simply because they see them repeatedly. Familiarity creates comfort, and comfort builds trust.
How to Use the Mere Exposure Effect in your Marketing:
A simple, easy way is to publish regular, valuable content (blogs, videos, social media posts) to your brand top-of-mind.
1. Content Marketing:
2. Social Media Engagement:
Actively interacting with your audience by replying to comments, and messages can hugely boost familiarity and preference for your brand.
3. Re-targeting Ads:
Displaying ads to users who have previously visited your website, reminding them of your brand, increases exposure and can lead to higher conversion rates.
4. Brand Placement:
Featuring your brand in multiple contexts, such as product placements in movies or sponsorships of events, can greatly enhance exposure and familiarity.
5. Sponsorships and Partnerships:
Aligning your brand with popular events or other well-known brands can increase exposure to new audiences.
By strategically increasing the frequency and consistency of your brand exposure through these methods, you can leverage the mere exposure effect to build consumer preference and drive engagement.
This doesn’t mean bombarding your audience 24/7, it’s about strategic, consistent exposure.
3. The Halo Effect: First Impressions Matter
How many times have you returned to the same café because you liked their first cup of black coffee? That's the Halo Effect in action. This cognitive bias means people tend to show favoritism towards a brand just because they had a positive experience with one aspect of said brand.
How to Use the Framing Effect in your Marketing:
Stand out from your competition by focusing on that one key strength that defines your brand. For example, when I think of stylish, high-quality shoes, Adidas comes to my mind. The same can go for your brand.
1. Use Your Key Strength:
2. Make High Quality Designs:
A strong brand identity goes beyond a logo. Make sure your website, social media, and product packaging all convey quality and professionalism.
3. Focus Your Marketing on One Product or Service:
Focus on a Signature Product or Service: Like Dyson is known for its vacuum, emphasize your standout product to build trust in your entire range.
4. Create a Seamless Customer Experience:
Ensuring a high-quality, positive customer experience can leave a lasting positive impression with your customers.
5. Leverage Testmonials:
Positive reviews and feedback from existing customers can greatly enhance your brand’s credibility and change the way people view your brand. In some cases, it’s what makes them choose your brand over others.
6. Use Celebirity Endoresment:
Associating a product with a well-liked celebrity can transfer the positive attributes of the celebrity to the product. This strategy can enhance your brand appeal and credibility.
But you have to keep in mind that the Halo Effect works both ways. A negative experience can stain a customer’s perception of your entire brand.
Psychological tactics like the Framing Effect, the Mere Exposure Effect, and the Halo Effect can significantly, and positively influence how customers perceive and engage with your product. It’s all about knowing when and how to apply these strategies effectively.
But, if you’re unsure how to integrate these tactics into your marketing plan or need help crafting a strategy, let’s connect! Together, we can make your product stand out in the crowded marketplace!