How marketers play on fear and guilt to push sales
Fear and guilt. Two marketing ideas that don’t readily spring to mind. But marketing is all about satisfying your need. And if you need to build that need in the initial place, these are powerful emotions to work with. But I’m young and healthy, you say. So take the policy now when the premium is low. He’s hammered the message in.
But I’m young and healthy, you say. So take the policy now when the premium is low. He’s hammered the message in.
A company sent me a mailer that looked very official. They tell me that my home insurance would not pay to fix the repairs of the water line from the house to the utility line in the street. While a doubt is rising in me, they push further.
Car rentals
Car rental companies have a nice technique to seal the deal. You refuse to take the insurance offered while renting a car because your personal vehicle policy and/or the credit card you are using usually covers this risk.
The rental company will then make you sign another document. This is just to confirm that we have offered you the coverage and you denied it, the nice rental agent smilingly tells you. That’s when the fear rises. Perhaps your policy does not cover this you wonder and take the cover.
You have probably not been paying attention to your partner at all but when the marketer says buy this bunch of flowers to show that you really love her, you’re thinking why not, maybe I need to be a bit more demonstrative.
So we take that trial offer and find comfort that others are also there who look like misfits so there is nothing to be ashamed about. The yoga centre’s marketing manager knows how our mind work.
We may not return after the trial and lots of things can happen by the time we consume that next halwa. So she says its cheaper to take a subscription rather than pay per class. Yes, we approve and feel we need to make the commitment. The subscription serves to create a bridge with our guilt and when faced with that next ice cream, we are confident knowing the subscription we have to the gym or yoga centre will help us get in there without a problem and get back in shape.
Sometimes one has to work the reverse. If the purchase decision can invoke guilt (do I really need this luxury watch?), the marketer would work to assuage that guilt and make it okay (of course you do, you deserve it!).
Social marketing
And it is not only the capitalist, profit-oriented businesses who make use of these themes. They are equally popular with those engaged in social marketing. Since you are well-off, you are asked to contribute to those who are less privileged.
Your reward is that you have done your bit to share your success with others (and feel less guilty that you do not deserve all that you have).
Perhaps we need to call upon another emotion to deal with the role of these marketers.