...you may bluff your way in or lose out on even the best hand; getting inside your opponents head is what matters.
My learning of user psychology from my first ever job and first ever SaaS client made me fall in love with the integration of psychology and marketing. Inbound marketers sneak inside the user's conscience and navigate them throughout the website and even entice them to fill a form, hence, leads.The users feel that they are in control of their own actions, but, *winks* NO.
Let me break down the integration of user psychology and inbound marketing.
- Targeting emotions - Firstly, an understanding of buyer persona is important and secondly, identifying the sweet spot.In the case of SaaS businesses, keeping it minimalistic, for clarity and purpose is hitting the bullseye.
- Promoting exclusivity - Basically, making the user feel FOMO. The ad copy and the design should sync.The ad copy should make the user try the product i.e. 'Request a Demo' or at least get in touch.For e.g., Tarantula's product headline, "Your end-to-end solution for Telecom Site Management."
- Reciprocity and Foot-in-the-door - They are known as the heart of inbound marketing.From asking users to submit a random form to nurture them, to closing the sale and delighting them for retention.A user submits the form to download an ebook, you've got their details, that is reciprocity.The ebook acts as the foot in the door, nurturing the users will ensure further entry into their space.
- Social proof - When someone goes shopping for a car or any big price item, they first consult the early adopters or researchers etc.Same is the case with a SaaS product. If the product is used by their competitor, it entices them to check it out (Demo).Also known as conformity bias.
- Verbatim effect - When you read a newspaper, you read the headline first, then the content inside or even not. Basically, the headline gives you a gist of what might contain in the content.Including numbers and creative ad copies, will ensure the user to register and get back to you. It builds credibility for the product.
- Isolation effect - Lot of appropriate white-space with minimalist design and placement of CTA matters.Plus, the text written on the CTA too matters.For e.g., Netflix's CTA for Signing up is, "Join free for a month".
- Color psychology - Using the brand color and one hard color to design the website, for brand recognition and identity.Keeping the colors consistent on all pages ensures an efficient user experience.
- Priming - The content and design flow of the primary main pages such as 'Home page', 'Products page' and 'Services page' is of utmost importance.These pages provide information that a user expects and is presented right in front of him/her without much hassle.The flow should be something like this:- Including a CTA above the page fold (Banner)- Key features of the product- Impact the product creates- A quick CTA- Client logos- Pricing* CTAs- Download brochures/white-papers* Pricing acts as a rejection/floor price. If shown, encourages qualified leads.
- Nudging - Placement of CTAs right after the testimonial section on the website is a great example of nudging. It basically means to gently push your users to the action of submitting a form.Nudge can be twisted and fit into any kind of medium.For e.g., Airbnb uses the social proof nudge, whenever you are looking for property it says, " __ number of people are searching for the same dates as you."
- Lastly, amazing multimedia - Looks and feel are as equally important as content on the webpage.A mix of a little animation, graphics, images completes the user experience and leaves the user satisfied that his time on the website wasn't useless.
To build a successful inbound marketing strategy, marketers have to start with best-known practices, but over time, the strategies evolve with consistent testing and optimization. Inbound Mantra seems to have aced the art of user psychology in SaaS marketing. Only till the 'next show.'
