Wednesday, March 13

Neuromarketing to improve sales

Versión en español, pulse aquí

We live in a continuous fall in consumption. So, we need more effective sales. This is speaking in terms of marketing, improve the conversion rate. They become actual sales as many potential sales.

On Internet circulates a phrase that in good times was enough to dispatch, but today is not enough, you need to sell. Attracted by that phrase with which, incidentally, I do not agree at all. I set out to discover the real influence of the traditional dependent on consumer behavior.As always in these studies relying on the usual collaborators psychologists, neurologists, anthropologists and marketers, thus forming a multidisciplinary team in neuromarketing. Not what statistics or probability tells us, but what the consumer tells us without words. With no conscious behavior. It is therefore necessary equipment. It is therefore also necessary to employ systems that allow us to objectively measure the reaction of buyers.We use in this case four combined tools. An eye-tracker that allows us to measure the movement of the subject's eyes. So we know what to look at all times. The above combine it with an electroencephalograph (EEG) that measures brain activity and a bracelet that measures pulse and skin conductance (GSR). Cameras also have a global vision of the establishment.

One objective of this study was to evaluate how it affects the sale comportamiendo dependents. We work in a women's clothing store with a target between 25 and 40 years. We wanted to examine, first, how they influence the sales process the behavior of the person who takes the clothes. So without customers had interacted with any other store clerk measurements study tools while in queue and the time of payment.

Some might think that the sale is made, the client already has the garment and is ready to pay. Why study this case. Nothing is further from the truth. Do not forget that businesses, by law, offer to return the purchase period. Will this affect the attitude of the person charged in the customer returns the product or days later?. Yes, it does affect a lot.

In this market, a significant number of purchases are made on impulse. I see it, I want it, I'll take it. In this type of purchase, at the time of payment, especially if this is effective, it is when you receive the call "remorse". The eye tracker recorded the client seeks to evade the look in the eyes of the dependent. Possibly looking instinctively flee reprimanded for buying something they do not need. Curious, because the clerk never do that, but the instincts are not controllable and do not respond to reason.

Moreover, with the same customer, buying impulsively, in cases where the employee had a more maternal, giving reasons for the purchase, we observed a decrease in measurements of heart rate and activation in reward areas in the Client brain. The clerk may, with your attitude, calm remorse that effect by decreasing the amount of sales returns.

However, on those occasions when the clerk had an indifferent attitude to the buyer, accelerated heart rate, the "sweating" was maintained, even increased. EEG measurements indicated that turned away from areas of reward-related areas were activated rejection. The client was starting to regret the purchase at the time of payment and the seller had simply been indifferent to him. He had merely paid. Most of these garments ended returned in a different shift who had attended. Some even see the clerk looked at another box with another employee to do the return.

Moral, if we want to improve the conversion rate of sales the sales staff attitude is essential. Should be active. The mere indifference, simply collect, causes us to lose sales. In other posts I will talk about the right attitude of selling to help increase sales, which is another area we work in this study.

Said earlier said I did not like that phrase that says that in good times was enough to dispatch. Indifference kills the conversion rate in good times and in times of crisis. Sell yeah, never dispatched.

Wednesday, February 27

Subliminal Advertising Myth or Reality?

Versión en español, pulse aquí

Everyone, we are dedicated to the marketing and those not, we ever heard of subliminal advertising.

Commercials in which, supposedly, are introduced to the viewer perceives messages unconsciously and inviting you to consume a certain product. Buyer consume these items and never becomes aware of who or what has prompted it.

Subliminal advertising is on everyone's lips since the sixties. Some even confuse neuromarketing with such advertising or studies how.

Nothing is further from the truth. The neuromarketing studies not subliminal advertising, among other things, because this type of advertising there is a myth.

In the 60s, J. McDonald Vicary said he entered, subliminally, the phrases "eat popcorn" and "Drink Coke" during the broadcast of a film. Supposedly, as reported, increased sales of both products during the broadcast. Almost 20% of popcorn and more than 50% of the soda said.

The impact of this news was such that the U.S. government banned the practice. Even in Spain is prohibited by the General Advertising Act.

In 1962 McDonald himself acknowledged that it was all a setup and the data shown were handling. Were false. Those messages never inserted in the issue of the film. But the legend ran so fast that the reality went unnoticed.It is true that, to date, no one has shown that it can achieve an increase in consumption with subliminal advertising. But neither has shown otherwise. That is, we have no scientific evidence that subliminal advertising works. But we have no empirical. That is, in the experiments conducted and reported to date, none has been shown that introducing subliminal messages increases consumption.

What it is true is that many people think is possible, even brands that use it. Ignoring that, even though not proven fact, the law explicitly prohibits such practices.

And is that something is trying to send a subliminal message. And another thing that is perceived, albeit unconsciously. Let alone that can alter the behavior of an individual for these messages.

The reality is that subliminal advertising is another one of those myths and legends that are so widespread that make them look real.

As I mentioned once: the human will is so strong that it would try to bend it so difficult that, be achievable, the effort would be such that the effort would be employed unprofitable. In the time spent to sell a unit to someone who does not want to, we could sell thousands to those that they want and are attracted to the product.

Neuromarketing and any other area of marketing aims to bring products to potential consumers. Not become consumers who neither want our products or need us. Which makes no sense. Well, as just discussed, if the client does not want to buy the best for the seller is not interested in selling.

Wednesday, February 13

Neuromarketing and happiness

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Happiness: Something you crave since man is man. Happiness: Something that is defined in the dictionary, but you can not define neuroscientists.

Whether we know define a neurological level or not, what we do is clear is that happiness is something coveted. Everyone wants to be happy. It is also somewhat limited. Everyone wants, but few ever be. Moreover, even questions that declares who is really happy. Well, some argue that there is no full happiness, which gives the happiness of a mystery.

In these times in which we live in the information content of each seems to go a bit more than we think is happiness, happiness is something even more desirable if possible.

The brands they know and some, such as Coca-Cola, quite rightly have become true ambassadors of happiness. So while aligning their values with those of precious state gets reinforce pass two values she shares: mysterious and pleasant.

And that is to make your brand, your product, your company becomes desired need not be associated with being happy. Among other things because it will be difficult to dislodge from the post to the popular soft drink brand.

There is nothing that our brain likes more than something that everyone believes is nice (even if you think I do not). Well yes, yes you are: something small. Because if you have it makes you feel unique. If there are many seats to check the availability of a flight nothing happens. If suddenly there are few, then a seat becomes valued. Why gold is worth what it's worth?

However, I must correct my last statement about "taste" of our brain. If there is something that appeals to this more than something nice or something limited or exclusive: a mystery. It is superior to us, we are discoverers innate. We love the mystery. But the unsolved mysteries. When we resolve to lose all interest. If tomorrow we discover what happens in the Bermuda Triangle, ships disappear less and less people, as most are myths that we like to give you generate more mystery to the matter.

They are given in the happiness, all the factors to make something very precious: It is desired and scarce, which makes it unique. But also nice and mysterious (some say it is unreachable or does not exist). Anything that gets gather these factors, be it happiness or be it brand becomes highly valued thing.

Maybe now, after these factors understand why Coca-Cola's success continues. It has been over a hundred years and still works. How is this possible? If times have changed, the context has changed, knowledge has changed, and still at the top.

Much has changed, but has never abandoned exclusivity (no known equal), making it coveted. Everyone thinks it's nice to drink, so we felt valued when they see us with the red mark on her hand, but we like more Pepsi. And what does and be in the Top 1 is that it is mysterious. For no one except two people know how it is made ... Or so we are told.

Wednesday, January 30

Saturation emotional

Versión en español, por favor, pulse aquí

For several fortnights I've been spending almost all posts to speak of emotions. In brands, in business, in corporate experiences, ...

Emotions are the language of man. Through them we relate. The language, the feel, the looks, are simply ways to express and communicate the emotions we feel within us. Inside the brain, of course. Although it sometimes seems that reside in our bellies as butterflies, are really at the top of our body. Just as we need the senses to perceive emotions, also need to express them. But our brain is also the need to communicating it to ourselves. Appearing so poetic butterflies, sweating or even trembling.

Breathe, love, talk, yet wonderful acts ordinary. So natural, ordinary as: Buy.

Business needs of the customer relationships to survive. A business without customers may be many things, but you can call it that: Company. For there to be effective communication, it is necessary that the parties understand the same language. That's why companies are "forced" to use emotions to communicate with your market. Because it is the language of those who comprise it: humans.

But in this maelstrom of emotions need to be careful with saturation. For those we love the colonies into a perfume is a most enjoyable experience. Before crossing the door and we are enjoying what we're going to smell. We do not know what perfume prove. Even the shape or color of the jar. But I enjoyed imagining aromas.

The problem comes when we smelled so that our sense of smell is saturated. It does not smell anything, or not, as before. We have to wait a while to disappear this saturation. A break for that dullness disappears.

Companies must move, marks also the corporate experiences are designed to evoke emotions thinking on the client, so. But what we must not do is saturate.

As every person, every brain is different, we must try to evoke emotions through different senses. But if in our desire to revive the emotions that are latent in the brain of our client we sin by excess, then we will achieve nothing. Excite with the brand itself, the experience also, with everything but without overloading. Because then, as with our noses in the perfume, saturate our consumer emotionally. It goes all the corporate experience ruined.

The emotions saturation blocks. Just the opposite of what we want to do our customer at the point of sale. Lock stands doing nothing, not buy.

In the middle is the virtue that the wise Spanish proverb says. But where is the middle ground? How to fix it objectively? How to know designing a Corporate Experience where the limit and where the average not to saturate? Questions that have no answers yet. Neuroscience or Ni therefore neuromarketing yet found an answer.

Wednesday, January 16

Why is it important the misnamed Shopping Experience

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We keep hearing how important it is what some call "shopping experience." Term, moreover, seems inaccurate as I've said once. But is this real importance? Or is this another one of those fads.

As I did at the time with the branding: "Why brands need to be emotional?", why try to clarify what the customer lives is so important.

We speak of experience when it comes to what the customer sees, feels when consumed or will consume a product. That is, when he has the need to purchase an item, when he seeks, when he finds, when he buys, when he uses it and when he throws it into the trash.

Upon reaching a memory we are reliving a feeling, a past experience. We say it is good or bad if it was positive or negative experience. The purchase is just another act of our daily lives. Then a brand (or product) will look better if we associate it with positive experiences.

The downside is that feelings are unique to that individual. Our brain is responsible for transforming the environment around us in experiences and feelings. Each of us build our own reality. Which to me can be a pleasant experience for another may not. Even when both have experienced the same situation at a time.

So ... How can we build a pleasant experience for our customer to associate it with us? First given to whom it is addressed. Al target. And from a demographic point of view, yes. But also from a psychological standpoint.

Once we know who will live that experience we design is a matter of chance. Let me explain. As I said earlier recall sensations and feelings that come to us quickly when the evoke the senses. We remember our childhood when smelling an aroma present in our childhood. Then to create a good experience you have to get through the senses. Which one? Of all. Because the scent that reminds me of my childhood to another can not evocarle nothing. But a certain taste, for example. So I say it is a matter of chance. And if both evoke the same feeling through several different senses, the better.

But what the customer lives is not limited to the purchase process. So I do not think it right to call it "shopping experience." Why do you think the customer experience begins and ends in that act. And it is not. The customer associated memories to our product before, during and after purchase.

The best way to convey something to show what you live. Then the term "Customer Experience" nor does it seem necessary. For every company has to live the experience to pass. There is something reserved for those who buy. Also they sell.

I like to use the term: Corporate Experience. Because they are experiences that are associated with anything related to the company (customers, employees, products, ...). The term "corporation" includes customer. For it is the rationale and the center of the corporation.

So we can say that we have a bad memory of a product, a brand, whether corporate experience has made us associate it with a bad feeling and vice versa. It is therefore important in the first sale, but also in the future. Key to the desired loyalty.

Why is it important then the Corporate Experience? Because if we have designed and implemented correctly will help us sell and loyalty. Because thanks to her associate our product, our brand sensations that will help us to be well positioned in the consumer's mind.

Wednesday, January 2

Neuromarketing and the value of money

Versión en español, pulse aquí

Most people think that a euro is a euro forever. Or a dollar, a dollar. True, the euro we use in a kiosk is exactly the same with that paid in the gas station. But not worth the same. Both have the same purchasing power, but not the same value.

Take an example. A diamond of 30 euros bought in the jewelry section of a department store, you may have the same cost as one exactly like Tiffanys purchased. But it has the same value. Surely the second still having cost thereof shall be received differently. If we talk about jewelry, not worth the same one euro Tifannys in department stores.

And as this example could put many that occur every day in all sectors. Purchasing power is subject to rules and condition.The value of money is in the mind of the market.

What factors influence the value of a product?. There are many, but I will discuss the most important.

Whenever these are not the staples, do not buy products. We buy things for our environment and the enjoyment and feel better. Yes, I said our environment, not just ourselves. When you do buy a shirt cute to be thinking about people who, often, do not even know. So when does a girl buy a dress. But it is not the same as a dress designer Zara important one. Socially gives us more valuable to take a crocodile, a horse or other animal in the chest. The brand, the main element of corporate experience, influences the value of the product because it indicates a social status.

The mood is another key element in the value of an item. Some days we do not like anything. Others that we like everything, and others where we passed what we're looking for and not what we see. We can not control the minds of our customers. But we can encourage that within our facilities have a good day. So, play with colors, music, lighting and aroma of our establishment is so important. And also why I like to encompass all these elements together with the mark on what I call corporate experience.

Time is also essential. Items lose or gain value as the buyer has more or less quickly. The music, the colors and aroma are elements of the corporate experience that can help "speed up" or "slow" consumer purchases. Also the treatment of staff and customers the same products.

Let the buyer come alone or accompanied, also influences. When accompanied buy, we are continually contrasting the social value of talking at first. So the typical salesman or saleswoman who tells all clients that looks good everything is getting less valued. The client does not want to hear compliments, wants to be able to test whether the reaction cause that so far, only lives in your mind.

To control all these factors, as I moved forward, it is essential to properly manage the corporate experience. In addition to the elements already described, this is composed of others, such as: the client, personal branding, error handling and channels on and off line, among others. Sell and loyalty means that the client has more perceived value in our products and services in competition. The Corporate Experience is the tool that will help do that.

Wednesday, December 19

Impulse buying and neuromarketing

Versión en español, pulse aquí

The impulse purchase is a very high percentage in the usual basket. In commercial areas between 60% and 70% (depending on type) are unplanned purchases. In many sectors, such as vending, is practically the success or failure of a position.

These acquisitions that match also a need. But it is a rational, but emotional. You get the product because you feel the pressing obligation to buy. Want to experience what it feels like to have it or consume it now.

The lower the risk, the greater the likelihood of impulse purchase of a product. No impulse buying a car, unless their purchasing power is very high. In which case, the perceived risk is low.

How neuromarketing to study work on impulse buying?. Using EEG and eye tracking trying to measure what attracts emocionaly to a consumer to encourage impulse buying. It is not about forcing someone to buy something they do not want this or can not be profitable if it could. These products show the most appropriate way to attract those who do they want to buy.

Draws some conclusions from these studies:

First, the more prevalent emotion is easier to buy on impulse. Smell and hearing are senses with great evocative power. Well used to help maintain "the level of emotionality."

I commented before the buy button do not exist. There is no mechanism that can activate, and then we sell it or yes. But this kind of purchase if there are triggers. Factors favoring the boot process.

Why the slot machines while at rest emit lights and sounds?. They seek to be a trigger. And this, is transferable to other purchase?. Of course you do. If we leave out the scent of coffee around a vending machine of this type of product, the smell can be a trigger. Moreover, placing coffee aroma around the machine, observe (thanks to EEG) as the "reward area of the brain is active consumer with more intensity." This translates into an increased enjoyment of the product. And we've only released a scent, we have not altered the coffee.

But beware, there are also factors that can derail the sale. If we increase the price and approach the threshold of what a customer considers reasonable, the urge to purchase in most cases. We continue with the above example. If we increase the price of coffee to 3 € in an environment where you usually pay a maximum € 1.50, we noticed thanks to the eye-trackers and EEG how the customer is attracted by the location, the aroma and ilumnación, but not it takes to see the price. Gone is the emotion, rationality has made an appearance and ... Stopped process.

Do not just look for triggers. You must pay attention to those who can stop the process. Price is the most common these days. But the presentation or the shipping carton. We all love to find bargains, but not shabby products.

Make a deal breaker with those products whose packaging is damaged can be very harmful if not noticed that this is an "outlet". The customer not only stop the buying process. Remember also long offered products that are not in an optimal state. You will lose future sales. The client and that the recommendations made negative.

Getting through the senses, the client begins to enjoy the product before you purchase it is one of the most powerful triggers. Then you need to be very aware that nothing can stop it. Lastly (but not least) will not disappoint with the product so that the customer will enjoy it even more intensely.