Take for example a gas station that’s 20 miles away, but offering a huge price cut at the pumps. We might be inclined to driver out of our way to fuel up there, even though the amount of fuel we’re burning to get there and back means it’s not really worth it. Our perception of the value on offer doesn’t match the reality. This type of consumer behaviour is quite common and marketers rely on it to sell products.
Emotional Responses Hard to Overcome
The hard truth is that many of the decisions we make are made on the subconscious level and they aren’t rational. If we didn’t associate Coca Cola with fond memories of youth, we might be willing to try a different beverage. For the majority of consumers though, brand loyalty is something we’re not willing to give up easily.
The other guy has to have a really good emotional argument for why we should switch to their product, or we’ll just keep doing what we’ve always done – even if their product is better. By using solid research, psychological techniques, and neuroscience, marketers have a much better chance of success.
