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Psychology Used In Marketing Now that's a phrase to conjure with!! What exactly is meant by the term Psychological Marketing? It's all about the mindset of the searcher! Let's cover the various aspects of it:

Psychological Marketing - Reverse Psychology Reverse psychology is a technique involving the advocacy of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what actually is desired: the opposite of what is suggested. This technique relies on the psychological phenomenon of reactance, in which a person has a negative emotional response in reaction to being persuaded, and thus chooses the option which is being advocated against. Or simply put - if you tell a child that he absolutely cannot do something - then he absolutely wants to and probably will do it! Perhaps we don't ever really grow up!

How many times do we see advertisements, whether on-line or on television or even in the offline media of magazines and newspapers - that say something like - 'you don't want to read this' - so you do immediately! Or you think of yourself as not being the brightest and you see a headline to the ad that says 'only really intelligent people should read this! and you are in there! No-one but you says whether you are intelligent or not!! Yet again -'This product is only for the favoured few - please don't click here!!' and you do, even if you don't want whatever is offered. Reverse psychology coming into play - what you are told you cannot have - you want! No chance wordings here - the art of psychological marketing!

Psychological Marketing - The Art of Colours It is no accident that major company players have major advertising departments with major budgets! Everyone wants to get through to their consumer in a way that no-one else does. How to achieve that when people don't really like being sold to? This is where the psychological marketing using colour comes in - choosing the colour that rivets your attention, affects your nervous system and sends neurotransmitters to your brain releasing endorphins, serotonin etc - the happiness hormones. Basically the effect is to make you feel good and then they have you! If just looking at the product/service ad makes you feel that good - what will you feel like if you buy it! I must have it!! Artists and interior designers have long understood how colour can dramatically affect moods, feelings and emotions. It is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood and cause physiological reactions.

Here are a list of colours and what they mean in terms of business - through the eyes of the North American culture:

Consider the meaning of the following colours when used in psychological marketing:

• White: Pure. Clean. Youthful. It's a neutral color that can imply purity in fashion and sterilisation in the medical profession.
• Black: Power. Elegant. Secretive. The colour black can target your high-end market or be used in youth marketing to add mystery to your image.
• Red: Passion. Excitement. Danger. Red is the colour of attention, causing the blood pressure and heart rate to rise. Use red to inject excitement into your brand.
• Orange: Vibrant. Energy. Play. Add some fun to your company if you want to create a playful environment for your customers.
• Yellow: Happy. Warm. Alert. Yellow can be an attractor for your business with a relaxed feeling.
• Green: Natural. Healthy. Plentiful. To create a calming effect or growth image choose green. Go green go.
• Purple: Royalty. Wise. Celebration. Maybe add some purple tones to your look for your premium service business.
• Blue: Loyal. Peaceful. Trustworthy. Blue is the most popular and neutral colour on a global scale. A safe choice for a business building customer loyalty. Also the colour most used for healing the body.

So companies vying for your business or dollar - know this and use these colours accordingly. So powerful when your eyes are the first place that the tissue of the central system is stimulated!

Psychological Marketing - Reciprocity If I give you something, you're likely to give me something - or that is the general rule unless you are a miserly sort of person! If I give you a free trial of a new skin care product, for example, then you're more likely to feel obligated to buy it. Another example is with direct mailing: the organisation Disabled Veterans of America sends out requests for money each year as do so many charities - World Wildlife Fund etc. The basic mailing generates only an 18 percent response, but when it adds free personalised address labels or christmas cards if it is that time of year, it improves to 35 percent. In negotiations this principle is very much at play. If I concede something to you by retreating to a smaller request, then you are more likely to concede something to me by giving up something of your own. So by starting with a higher asking price, you can create concessions and engage the psychological desire for exchange. A bit like the traditional bartering if you will. it's all in the marketing psychology whether at the top end company or the Egyptian bazaar!

Psychological Marketing - Scarcity Value Items become more desirable to us as they become less available. For this reason, marketers trumpet the one-of-a-kind nature of their product or service. "Limited time only" offers. Scarcity can be turned to your advantage. Telling customers that "We've been informed that there's going to be a cheese shortage" will increase orders. "Telling customers that "We have an exclusive source who's told us that there's going to be a cheese shortage" will drive up orders even higher. The more the appearance of scarcity, the higher the desire to act quickly before it's too late.

How many of us go berserk at Christmas time - buying in tons of food we don't really need or even want because it is that time of year and we are conditioned to feel that everything is going to run out and the shops are going to be closed for weeks? I am sure if I could view the sea of hands going up or heads nodding it would be amazing! It is the psychological marketing of it all - unfortunately it now starts earlier each year!

Psychological Marketing - Overview I hope the foregoing has given you some idea of what goes on 'behind the scenes' of magazines, newspapers, internet sales, direct sales, flyers through the letterbox etc Dependant on the product and the emotion that they wish to generate will decide on the colour used - the words chosen - the picture or image shown - it is all carefully crafted to feed on your psychology. Food for thought next time you are looking to make a purchase!

Firstly and most importantly, I am passionate about people. I am passionate about their health at all levels - as a Naturopath of 12 years I have understood that what makes us the sickest is our view of the world and ourselves. Today I use methods to teach how to find success in all levels of our lives - physical, mental and financial. If you believe in yourself - you will take care of yourself. If you believe in your power to be successful - you will be successful. If you have the physical energy - you will have the drive. It is all linked and it starts with the most important factor of them all - YOU!