9 principles of psychology for powerful marketing campaigns

Marketers are in a new world.

They have to spend time learning the most current technology; they worry about SEO; they analyze all of the research data; and they search for new markets.

All of these things are important in today’s marketing world, but one thing has not changed: the psychology of marketing.

Purchases are 85 percent emotional and impulsive—and based on basic principles of psychology.

With all of the hype about content marketing strategies, marketers often forget these basic principles. In some places, they are not even taught anymore. Here are nine psychological principles you should have in your tool belt:

1. Give to get. This is known as the reciprocity principle. When people are given something—or when someone does something nice for them—they have a psychological need to repay that “gift.”

Zappos employs this principle well. When a purchase is made, they automatically give, as a surprise, next-day delivery for the same shipping price. The result: Brand awareness in its simple form.