Wednesday, April 25

The purchase button does not exist: demystifying the neuromarketing

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After many articles explaining what is neuromarketing and what contributes to different fields of marketing world, I think it's time to explain what its not neuromarketing.

Everything new has a lot of myths around fueled by fear of the unknown. Neuromarketing is a new and unfamiliar. Neuromarketing is a generator of myths and legends.

Some forums even maintains that neuromarketing intends to sell against the will of the buyer or looking like forcing us to buy through the unconscious.

Anyone who thinks we're going to give you the magic formula to sell anything to anyone, even against their will, this is not possible.

Neuromarketing, as seen in previous articles, which makes is to apply knowledge gained from neuroscience to marketing. Does neuromarketing relationship with the unconscious?. Yes, neuromarketing and much of our daily activity depends on our unconscious. But one thing is to study nonconscious processes to better understand human behavior (the purchase is a behavior) and quite another to manipulate the individual from the unconscious to force a conscious act.

You can not control people and force them to something they do not want. At most (and there are a lot of myths about it) through hiponosis sophrology and behaviors can be induced, but obviously no marketing action hypnotize anyone.

The neuromarketing study human behavior in the purchase. Measure the response to stimuli such action to better understand and apply the findings to make marketing more effective. To create shopping experiences. But neither manipulates nor obliged nor will it is impossible.

Neuromarketing is a science, new, yes, but science. Born from the application of neuroscience to economics (neuroeconomics). Study habits, behaviors measured. As neuroscience studying reactions in our brain with techniques of the health sector. But one thing is to study the brain and other handling. Study it is possible and brings new insights to make better and more effective marketing. The latter can not.

So, as I said in the title, sorry to say that the buy button, that method in order to sell at all costs, even against the will of the buyer, it is has not been discovered yet, is that not going to find because you can not find something that does not exist.

Wednesday, April 11

The Neuromarketing in advertising

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As I said in previous articles neuromarketing provides tools to measure emotional stimulus in all areas of marketing. In advertising, off course too.

Using tools such as fMRI or EEG (discussed in my last post) and combined with eye-tracking measurement of heart rate and galvanic skin response (to measure sweating), we know much more precisely how viewers react to different stimuli commercials.

So, add or remove sheets prior to issuance of the notice itself. The media time is expensive. Knowing the effectiveness of the ad before the agencies will issue more productive and more effective campaigns. All thanks to neuromarketing.

One of the best known examples of neuromarketing in advertising is the famous announcement "balls" Sony Bravia.

Until then, Sony had launched several campaigns to differentiate the color of their TV over the competition. But with poor outcome. Was the announcement that after a collaboration with a neuromarketing lab which was the expected success.

In its realization using fMRI and EEG to measure reactions in the minds of viewers over time and know the impact they had on each plane. On the spot there is nothing to chance. Let's see it and comment, then the most interesting.

What paints a frog in?. The amphibian's image is not random. The lab studied the reaction of this ad with the background without it. It is perhaps the most emotional spot evokes. It's like they say "a real rush."

Two other "rush times" in the sequence. This is the first sequence (the city with the guitar sound) and the appearance of the word "color" with the slogan: "Like No Other" and television. Getting, well, Sony associate their brand with positive emotional stimuli differentiating attribute: color.

Another key to success of this announcement is music. I've said on other occasions the advantages of music by the strong character reminiscent of the hearing. Music, of course, the composer: José González.

If you look to capture the viewer's attention at all times in each sequence where balls are many, just one, to the center, color is not flat and you can see it rotating. This view focuses on the element that stands out from others, preventing the viewer is "red herring" the theme of the ad.

To do the study, the lab used the techniques described in a sample of 45 people.

The Neuromarketing contributes to improving productivity in the agencies, making them more effective in their campaigns. Science and marketing together to measure emotional stimulus, unthinkable before neuromarketing.
 
PS Here, for those who want to continue enjoying the famous ad from Sony, I leave the making off.
And the long version of the ad:

Wednesday, March 28

Discovering the mind of the consumer.

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One of the many contributions of neuromarketing is to provide accurate market research.
It has always been a concern to know what customers think about a product. We need to know and then to modify it, thus, construct tailored to the needs of the target. The more accurate this research, we will provide more data on the tastes and needs of our market.

For years the surveys and, above all, the test panels have been the protagonists of such studies. The problem is that in these situations the customer is not always behave as they do then in reality.
The client on the evidence says what he likes or what you think at that time. But do not forget that we are living, social. We need the environment to live and the environment influences our lives.
That at the time when we do the survey or participate in a panel respond in a way, not to say that this will be fixed and unchanging for ever. In market research it is impossible to play all the personal and environmental circumstances of each of the participants.

Also adds a second factor that increases the uncertainty. Human beings are emotional. We move through emotions, impulses. The thrill of having something or feel that others know they have, we do purchase items that do not really need. We do this by looking for the mere impulse or social recognition.

The Neuromarketing can shed some light giving a little more accuracy to the investigation. This new discipline, marketing offers two tools to understand and measure the emotions and impulses.
I'm talking about functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRI and electroencephalography, or EEG. Both to measure the activity of different parts of the brain of the person taking the test. The second, the EEG, combined with electrocardiogram (ECG) and electro-oculogram (EOG) to measure activity in the mind and its physiological reaction (increased heart rate), when through the EOG know that the subject has looked at the object we are studying.

Those tools are widely known in the medical world but in this case are not used to measure and detect disease. We use them to study healthy brains.

Thus the customer response, we added a new factor. His reaction to the stimulus of the product. Reaction is unconscious and that influences their purchase decision. Thus, we have more information to tailor our product to the needs of the target. To suit the needs conscious and unconscious.
The Neuromarketing provides world tools of neuroscience to help solve a mystery: what happens in the mind of the consumer. Essential key to understand their needs. The customer needs during the study, does not know tell us in words because they are unconscious reactions.

Neuromarketing is the application of neuroscience to the world of marketing. A discipline of neuroeconomics is not the way. Is here to stay.

Wednesday, March 14

Write on websites XXI century

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Just a few weeks ago I spoke at web design in the twenty-first century what the neuromarketing, thanks to eye-tracking, could contribute to the design of corporate sites. Today I would like to continue on this topic. Start a series of posts to find out how neuromarketing can help the Internet world.

I dedicate this article to how to write text on websites. This is not a subject of neuromarketing, but its dominance is key to a successful website. I would like the series of posts that start to be useful, in addition to providing the latest offering neuromarketing. That's why I decided to speak on this subject. If we read in isolation, this post is out of the theme of the blog, but in conjunction with the above and those to come, I hope to provide clues for a new way of designing online. Also, my first professional steps were in this exciting world, bringing pleasant memories and earlier stages.

Not the same type a text on a corporate website in a blog, a social network or in a newspaper. Although in all those ways is to speak the same subject, the reader expects different information in each medium. In a website is expected to more technical or advertising text (depending on the company), but in a blog or social network is expected to writing based on experience. Also the way of writing is not the same.
If you dedicate a post to each medium on the Internet, the series is endless. As the purpose is not to mention the different forms of writing but what neuromarketing can provide web design business, I will focus on six key writing for corporate websites that I list and describe below:

- SHORT INTRODUCTIONS: When we at the computer all the information you want and more is in our hands at a distance of a click. Why waste time?. If we see something we do not care shut and go to another site. So you have to be clear and make introductions short. The introduction should serve to "hook" the reader and stay to see the rest of the text.

- USE SHORT PHRASES: This advice is related to the previous one. Very long sentences can get bored visitors. In other ways it is advisable to long sentences with detailed descriptions, but for other web. The shorter are the best phrases.

- USE BOLD AND HOLDERS: If the text is too long break it into parts and put a holder on each side. Use also bold to highlight the most important of each section. Thereby although the text may seem long, anyone can read it quickly in response to the headings and bold.

- EXPOSE CLEARLY THE BENEFITS: The corporate websites are intended to report the activity of the company and its products. Discuss each section the competitive advantages the company or the product bring to the market. This is what really matters to the page you have open.

- FAQ: If you wish further information or answer questions, not directly in the product or service description, make it complicated to read. Create a FAQ with common questions and answers. It is a way to give much information, easy to read and organized so that there is to read the entire text to resolve a concern.

- WRITE IN MIND THE TARGET: Do not write thinking of you, or how wonderful your product or service. Type planning to be useful for anyone to read. Identify the recipient of the text and type thinking on what it seeks.

I hope these six tips will be practical. Now that we know how you can help the eye-tracking in web design and some tips for writing practical texts for this, we can begin to analyze, in future posts, which can bring the neuromarketing to Internet world. 

Do you know more keys?, Share this post commenting.

Wednesday, February 29

Sell with heart

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In the post "to sell better," I did an overview of neuromarketing and advertising. In "sell head" I talked about mirror neurons and empathy in the trade visit. Today delve a little deeper into the commercial preparation of the visit. In a future post we will see the first meeting with the client.
Remember, thanks to mirror neurons felt something called empathy. Empathize with another person is mentally identify with your mood. We continue to work prior to the visit. It will prepare us to succeed in many.

Our goal is not to sell. Selling is the consequence, not the end. Our goal is to empathize with the customer.

Before taking the next step we will, as discussed in "sell head," gathered all possible information about the customer. We tried to find out their likes, hobbies and anything that our client, yet potential, put in your life to make it more enjoyable.

We are in the time prior to the visit, the same day in the morning. Recently, we woke up and we get dressed. I like to compare this time with the previous day made by young people (and some not so young) before leaving the party to flirt. When they open the closet Who do these guys think?. They think being handsome and beautiful, but for whom?. For someone who, in many cases, have not seen for the first time. Of course to be handsome or beautiful is no guarantee to flirt, but score points. How many times to leave home in the morning has worn its customers in mind?. As in the example dressing customer considering score points.

I do not speak of awakening physical attraction on the client, talk to dress them in mind. In commercials differentiate ourselves from competition. Dress customers in mind can we go up a rung on the mental positioning. At the end of the day what we want is that we prefer to us rather than competition. If we have done preliminary work to meet customer tastes, maybe we can include on our clothing that day a detail that sparks your attention. A pin, a color ... Something that will remind us when you need to order the product that we carry in our portfolio.

Once dressed thinking of our customers, we rode in the car and .... We fall into depression listening to what the world goes wrong, remember how hard it is to sell and this month probably will not reach targets .... And we went to see the client fully depressed. Perhaps the "deep depression" is a bit exaggerated. But what is certain is that it is very important to empathize attitude. Think of it much more enjoyable a sincere smile a straight face.

It is important to be informed, know what happens in the world in which we live. But the time before seeing the client is it the right time? No more day?.

The music works wonders. The music has a direct influence on our mood. Through the sense of hearing the music involves the whole brain. Alters our heart rate. Serves to encourage us, serves to relax. Used to have a positive attitude before seeing a client. Bring music in your car you like. Make a compilation of songs that you like to dance, sing and put in a good mood. Take it in the car and hear him on the way to commercial visit.

Selling is not an act, is an attitude. Neuromarketing teaches us and shows that our attitude and using emotional intelligence is much easier sell. From now on in addition to selling his head, ... sell to the heart. With the heart we control the mind (emotional intelligence).

NOTE: I write this post listening to background Many shades of black played by Adele and The Raconteurs, ... Song that puts me in a good mood.

Wednesday, February 15

Here smells brand

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Of the five senses that humans have no doubt smell is the most quickly can evoke feelings and emotions.

We could say that for a long time man "has depended on her nose" for survival. Through it we detect spoiled food, the smell we recognize our mother in the first months of life, a pleasant smell of food whets our appetite, ... We categorically declare that the smell was not only a key sense, we might even say it was one of the senses responsible for our survival as a species.

When we smell the odor particles suspended in air they dissolve in the nasal mucosa. Just after the mucosa are the olfactory receptor neurons are able to detect thousands of different odors. These cells transmit odors to the olfactory bulb that communicates directly with our primitive brain, stimulating feelings and memory, and the area of thinking (neocortex). This dual connection described makes the smell in the sense that it is powerful, giving it a high capacity to evoke memories and relive experiences with the mere perception of a particular odor.

In a market like the current one that seeks to reach the customer and make them live a shopping experience when they purchase and consume our products, the role of smell is critical.
Known is the positive effect on sales of a supermarket to have the bakery at the entrance, so the smell of fresh bread fills the surrounding area and invites passersby to enter. But how to convert an odor in a tool for SMEs?.

First, just like we do with the colors or logo, we must define our odotipo and incorporate it into our corporate image. We, by tradition, calling corporate image, but once built the smell the term falls short, I like to use (and intend to): corporate experience. Advanced corporate image or corporate experience should be consistent. Imagine going to a restaurant for a publicity that has been in print with a logo that conveys energy innovation, modernity and originality when it comes to local site is a neglected and very traditional food, are you sure you probably think it was here ?. The pamphlet conveyed an image that is not consistent with the business. The smell, as a corporate experience that is, it must evoke feelings and emotions in line with the business and with other corporate identifiers. So the first step is to locate an odor to complete what they evoke the colors, logo, uniforms, decorations and other elements of corporate experience. In a future article will discuss specific aromas and what they evoke.

Once selected, the smell will determine the way we will be at our installations, and why not, in our salesmen. If there are air fresheners market with the characteristics of our chosen scent, just have to get hold of one and put it in our facilities. It is important to do both in the part that is facing the public and which not. There is no better way to live the corporate customer experience to share with you which we live. To do and live what we live.

 If we can't locate any dresser go to any company that specializes in corporate aromas. For an affordable manufactured and provided us each time we need our dresser. You can also try their luck produced a smell with essences and aromatherapy evaporators available in any store. But remember, the smell is very powerful for good or ill. If in doubt always better to have a specialist in the area is less expensive to pay for the cheap and we get the opposite effect.

Transforming corporate image through corporate experience to incorporate elements like the smell or the music to evolve our company and make companies adapted to changing times, bringing them closer to the customer making them to be reminded every time they hear our music or smell our corporate flavor. Neuromarketing evolves marketing to adapt our companies to consumers in the new century.

Wednesday, February 1

sell head

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Given the acceptance that had the post "To sell better," in which he explained how to use neuromarketing to be better salesmen, and I have been receiving questions about it in different ways in recent weeks, these days I will dig a little more on this topic. Specifically, by popular demand, I'll talk about why it is necessary to know the potential customer before making the visit, in subsequent articles delve into other aspects.

In 1992, Giacomo Rizzolatti, Leonardo Fogassi and Vittorio Gallesse, University of Parma, discovered mirror neurons. They are responsible for empathy and a revolution in neuroscience and neuromarketing.

Mirror neurons are activated when we perform an action and when we see someone do an action. That is, if we see that a person is happy to drive a particular car that our mirror neurons do empathize with the person of the spot, feeling the same way and helping to associate in our minds the idea that driving this car will make us feel good.

The "usefulness" of mirror neurons in the world of advertising is evident in the example above, but why talk about mirror neurons in an article focusing on one aspect of the commercial visit?. I began by saying that: "To sell better," noted the need to find out everything possible about the person we are going to visit. Knowing as much about who he is, his nature, tastes, hobbies, sports he practices, his favorite team, can be a powerful marketing tool if we use for the client to empathize with us.

Many times our offer is similar in products and services to our competitors. Empathy with the customer may be the final weight to tilt the balance of the sale to us. If our offer contains a much higher price or service clearly worse than the competition is difficult to sell through empathy (although not impossible), but it is normal that our offer is in product quality, price and service very similar that of our competitors, which, in this way, we can tip the sale in our favor. Of course, for this to happen we need to know very well, before whom we are going to sit and of course this person is the decision maker to buy. If the person who decides on purchases is not easily accessible, so if we empathize with his assistant or person responsible for coordinating your schedule maybe we can make an appointment. Besides a good source to find out interesting hobbies and tastes of the head.

Previous work on sale is key and even more important than the visit itself, for all we know the person you're going to see us help the commercial visit much more effective and achieve our goal using less time.
Empathy is the most positive support for sale. We need to know hobbies, likes and all that full of happiness to our interlocutor. All this information we will use the visit (or visits) for the sale a success for us.

From now sell head, .... But with the client's head, turning their mirror neurons positively towards us and the product we represent.