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7 key elements of neuromarketing

Neuromarketing is the union between science and marketing techniques. Based on studies related to brain processes and how they are triggered, neuromarketing seeks to measure neurobiological activities when there is exposure to brands, ads and other marketing strategies.

Has it ever happened to you that they ask you why you like something and you don’t know how to answer? You search your mind for justifications, but there doesn’t seem to be a specific reason.

And it is that, contrary to what we like to believe, human beings are highly irrational. Or how do you explain those superstitions of “knocking on wood” or avoiding going under a ladder?

This is why the most successful brands are those that, in addition to offering an excellent product or service, connect with those deep emotions and motivations that inhabit our unconscious.

Today there are tools such as neuromarketing that seek to provide a scientific guide to brands so that they can make better decisions and get closer to their consumers.

What is neuromarketing?

Neuromarketing is, in a nutshell, neuroscience applied to marketing. Seeks to understand the behaviors related to brands and the purchasing process based on neuronal activity.

It can be applied in many cases, for example, to evaluate a product before launch, to create a successful pricing strategy or to determine the effectiveness of an advertising piece before airing it.

Traditionally, other research methods have existed, such as surveys and focus groups.

However, these methods are not always reliable, since there are factors that can influence the responses, such as wanting to please the researcher or trying to give the “correct” answer, instead of the true one.

But there are no secrets in the brain. Your mouth may say that you like a product (and possibly really believe it), but your mind may indicate just the opposite.

And it is that in the end, the unconscious is the most powerful force that dominates our behaviors.

In fact, it is estimated that around 95% of purchasing decisions are made unconsciously and take around 2.5 seconds.

Assuming that our brain acts in a 100% rational way is a big mistake. For this reason it is not enough to have an excellent offer, you have to know how to sell it.

This science aims to identify which areas of the brain are activated in consumer decision-making processes.

That is, when there is a purchase action, which also implies the acceptance of a brand or product, the brain behaves in a specific way. It is this behavior, imperceptible to the naked eye, that neuromarketing sets out to study and measure.

Among its main study objectives, we can mention:

• Identify consumer acceptance reactions (or not) regarding brands, packaging design, products, online platforms and various other aspects;

• Anticipate consumer behavior in purchasing processes.

Neuromarketing captures indicators of neurological, psychological and physiological content, which can vary from the electrical activity of the brain to the movement of the muscles of the face, sweat, body language and heartbeat.

What are the elements of neuromarketing?

Below, we present the 7 main discoveries made by neuromarketing studies that are important in defining your marketing strategy (regardless of the size of your company or business).

1. The look

The effectiveness of eye contact and the use of people in ads are long-standing conclusions in the marketing world.

But what was not known until recently is that when images of people staring intently at the consumer are used, the focus is removed from the ad and the focus remains only on the images.

Therefore, neuromarketing recommends the use of images of people directing their gaze towards a point of interest.

Thus, the ad remains attractive and the consumer’s attention turns to the campaign’s objective: the product.

2. The colors

Colors directly influence the way the client feels.

Each color is linked to an emotion, and inserting a hue that conflicts with the chosen “mood” for the ad can ruin the end goal.

Therefore, using a color effectively can be a powerful marketing tool. Neuromarketing experts specializing in color and advertising have divided colors into subgroups as a guide to how they can be used effectively.

Blue, for example, is the recommended color if you want to attract professionals.

3. Speed ​​/ quickness

The feeling of speed, of agility, attracts the public. The feeling of security and stability, used by traditional companies, is effective for many segments. But what effectively attracts the public is the feeling of speed.

PayPal, in a study that launched neuromarketing techniques, found that promises of convenience, speed, and efficiency activate consumers’ brains on a much larger scale than security.

In this way, PayPal used this information to attract more customers to its online payment system, promising speed and efficiency.

4. Tell stories

Storytelling is the technique of telling stories in campaigns. Neuromarketing studies found that by creating context and story in ads, consumers were more emotionally engaged.

Therefore, investing in a good script, that attracts and excites your audience, can generate identification and much greater commitment.

5. Pricing

Do you know how to define a price that attracts more customers? The “9.99€ is more attractive than 10€” strategy is well known.

However, according to neuromarketing research, rounded numbers work best when you’re prone to emotional decisions.

“Choppy” or compound prices, in turn, work more effectively when the logic areas of the brain are involved.

Thus, the price that you will define for your product may vary according to the focus of your marketing campaign.

6. The titles

Titles are one of the first things the viewer sees, so they obviously need to stand out and get noticed.

As a result, they have been extensively researched and a new neuromarketing technique called “Hippocampus Headlines” was created.

What does this mean? Researchers from University College London discovered that when a familiar phrase is slightly altered, our hippocampus is activated, and our attention is awakened.

7. Payment

According to neuromarketing studies, the economic transaction creates anxiety in users. Therefore, it is recommended to use expressions such as “take me home” or “add to cart”, always seeking to replace the word “buy”.