NEUROMARKETING: IS IT THE KEY TO UNLOCKING YOUR CUSTOMER'S BRAIN?

“Our unconscious mind drives how we respond to ads, brands and products, in other words, all our buying decisions.”

According to neuroscientists, there are 3 main parts in our brain nestled inside one another

• The "Human" (New) Brain: Most evolved part of the brain known as the cortex.
• The "Mammalian" (Middle) Brain: Also known as the limbic system.
• The "Reptilian" (Old) Brain: Also known as the R Complex controls our basic survival functions and drives our customers' buying decisions.

THE "REPTILIAN BRAIN" AND PROFITS: 7 CRITICAL INSIGHTS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT HOW AND WHY YOUR CUSTOMER BUYS

1.- The old brain is driven by emotions.

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers' emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2.- The old brain "decides" on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

Key lesson: Add more joy and pleasure to the buying process, such and you will reset the customer's "value meter."

3.- The old brain is highly influenced by beginnings and endings.

Key lesson: In marketing, for your message to be accepted, it is critical to leave a strong first impression -- like a compelling story, a big smile, etc.

4.- The old brain is visually oriented and responds rapidly to images.

Key learning: Improve and deliver your core marketing message visually -- eg., the design of your product, images in an ad, external packaging, etc.

5.- The old brain perceives the "pain of buying" in relative, not absolute, terms.

Key lesson:

1. Emphasize "sales" prices (which does not activate pain in the old brain)
2. Utilize "package" pricing over pricing of individual components (the latter shows greater pain activity in the old brain)
3. Series of small "bite-size' investments in place of one large investment (Netflix)

6.- The old brain understands only what is tangible, physical and concrete.

Key lesson: To speak to the old brain, you must use tangible "benefits" -- ie., what a customer will see, feel, hear, taste or smell as a result. Or use metaphors to make your benefits more tangible.

7.- The old brain's control over buying decisions varies from culture to culture.

Key lesson: Adapt your marketing communications to each culture and what part of their brain drives buying decisions. Use emotional appeal with Americans; use logic with European cultures.