The growth of the internet in terms of active users has brought with it a commensurate proliferation of advertising. This phenomenon has made online advertising a very competitive arena where consumer psychology now plays an increasingly important part.

Every day more and more people are entering the online advertising arena hoping to capture a tiny sliver of the huge, and an ever-expanding, worldwide market.

To that end, advertisers and copywriters seek advertising inspiration that will result in just the right advertising content. The problem is, most turn to their own creativity for inspiration rather than consumer psychology. What they don’t seem to realize is, creativity in advertising often becomes more about the creator of the advertising than the prospective consumer. And, when you lose focus on the consumer, your results will suffer, and you may never even know it.

Here are three psychological characteristics that are present in virtually all individual and business consumers:

Curiosity

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson said:

“There is always a place I can take someone’s curiosity. . . .”

When Tyson said that, he was speaking in the context of education. But the same is true in advertising. People are naturally curious, and the advertiser who triggers that innate curiosity can lead them anywhere. You can do that by creating a headline or other lead-in that arouses curiosity. If you do that, people won’t be able to resist reading the body of your ad, clicking the start button on your video, or clicking through to your sales page.

Selfishness

Most people would be insulted if you implied that they were selfish. But, when it comes to being consumers, the truth is we all are. We all want the best for ourselves, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The question that underlies every decision we’re faced with as consumers is; “What’s in it for me?” So, advertising content, whether it’s textual, photographic, audio, or video should answer that question in some way.

Competitiveness

When it comes to making purchases, we all have a bit of a competitive streak – some of us more than others. That competition is manifested in our desire to get the best deal possible on whatever we’re buying.

Most marketers understand that consumers want the best deal possible, but many mistakenly liken “good deal” to “low price”. For some consumers, that’s true. But for most, a good deal simply means acquiring a product that meets all their needs at a price that they consider to be fair. Of course, fair is in the eye of the beholder, and not all products have a flexible price.

Just remember that people want what they want, and most are willing to pay a fair price for it. Your job as an advertiser is to convey the benefits of the product you’re advertising in such a way that any reasonable price will be seen as fair by the prospective customer. So, when they purchase that product, they’ll see it as a bargain. And that will make them feel as though they’ve won.

By pursuing this lost discipline of advertising inspiration, you’ll tap into a reservoir of ideas that will set your advertising apart from the rest of the crowd in terms of effectiveness.

Is there still room for creativity in advertising? Of course there is, as long as it’s used to convey a customer-focused message, and not just for creativity’s sake.

If you enjoyed these ads, you may also want to check out these:

Social Networks: The Key To Business Growth
Rookie Social Networking Failures and How to Avoid Making Them
4 Ways To Grow Your Business Using LinkedIn
How To Amp Up Your Visibility With Facebook
4 Ways Business Blogging Helps Build Trust In Your Business
Growing Your Business Through Email Marketing

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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