I recently earned a Verified Certificate in Marketing Psychology from the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School. This got me thinking back to when I studied the same subject in university 26 years ago. Back then, the internet wasn't widespread and was very slow. The marketing landscape was relatively simple, with traditional media like television, magazines, and newspapers being the primary channels. Now, we have a vast array of digital and social media. However, no matter how marketing channels evolve, the core always revolves around "people."
最近我從英國牛津大學賽德商學院獲得了行銷心理學的認證證書。這讓我不禁回想起 26 年前在大學修讀同一門科目時的情景。當時,網路還不普及,速度緩慢,行銷環境相對單純,主要媒介仍是電視、雜誌、報紙等傳統媒體。而現在,我們有了大量的數位媒體和社群媒體。然而,不論行銷媒介如何演變,其核心始終圍繞著「人」。
Marketing psychology is a field that combines psychological principles with marketing strategies. Its goal is to understand consumer behavior, decision-making processes, and the psychological factors that influence purchasing intent. It delves into people's needs, desires, motivations, perceptions, and attitudes, applying these insights to product development, brand communication, pricing strategies, and sales techniques to more effectively attract and persuade target audiences.
行銷心理學是一門結合心理學原則和行銷策略的學科,旨在了解消費者行為、決策過程以及影響其購買意願的心理因素。它深入探討人們的需求、欲望、動機、感知和態度,並將這些洞察應用於產品開發、品牌溝通、定價策略和銷售技巧上,以更有效地吸引和說服目標客群。
No matter how rapidly marketing tools evolve, there are several indispensable techniques for people-centric marketing psychology:
無論行銷工具如何日新月異,以人為核心的行銷心理學有幾個不可或缺的技巧:
Understanding Consumer Needs and Motivations 理解消費者需求與動機
This is the cornerstone of all marketing activities. Only by thoroughly researching the target audience's pain points, desires, values, and lifestyles can you create products or services that genuinely solve problems.
這是所有行銷活動的基石。深入研究目標受眾的痛點、願望、價值觀和生活方式,才能創造出真正能解決問題的產品或服務。
Emotional Connection 情感連結
People's purchasing decisions are often driven by emotion. Building emotional resonance with consumers through storytelling, brand personality, and delivering experiences that exceed expectations can effectively boost brand loyalty.
人們的購買決策往往受情感驅動。透過故事敘述、品牌個性以及提供超出預期的體驗,與消費者建立情感共鳴,能有效提升品牌忠誠度。
Trust and Persuasion 信任與說服
In an age of information overload, building trust is crucial. Using psychological principles such as social proof (e.g., user reviews), authority (expert recommendations), and scarcity (limited-time offers) can more effectively persuade potential customers.
在資訊爆炸的時代,建立信任至關重要。利用社會證明(如使用者評價)、權威性(專家推薦)和稀缺性(限時優惠)等心理學原理,可以更有效地說服潛在客戶。
Application of Cognitive Biases 認知偏誤的應用
Understanding common cognitive biases, such as the anchoring effect (the first price seen influences subsequent judgments) or loss aversion (people tend to avoid losses more than they seek equivalent gains), can help design more effective pricing and promotion strategies.了
解人類常見的認知偏誤,如錨定效應(第一個看到的價格會影響後續判斷)或損失規避(人們傾向於避免損失而非獲得同等收益),可以幫助設計更有效的定價和促銷策略。
About 20 years ago, many B2B companies didn't prioritize branding and marketing, believing that low prices and good quality products were sufficient. However, today's environment is entirely different. Even B2B enterprises must place high importance on marketing and brand building. This is because end consumers' brand awareness and preferences are increasingly influencing the procurement decisions of B2B suppliers.
約莫 20 年前,許多 B2B 公司並不重視品牌和行銷,他們認為只要產品價格低、品質好就足夠了。然而,現今的環境已截然不同。即使是 B2B 企業,也必須高度重視行銷與品牌塑造。這是因為最終消費者對品牌的認識和偏好,正逐漸影響著 B2B 供應商的採購決策。
For example, a B2B company that produced smartphone screen glass might have only needed to focus on technology and cost in the past. But now, if consumers have high brand loyalty to a particular brand of smartphone screen protector, and that protector emphasizes the use of a certain "super scratch-resistant" glass, then the smartphone brand choosing its screen glass supplier will tend to choose a supplier that collaborates with the glass brand known to consumers. Even as a supplier, it must use marketing to make its "component brand" known and recognized by downstream brands and even end consumers. Another example is how many consumers now specifically look for Intel or AMD processors when buying a computer. This is an example of B2C brand influence, which in turn forces B2B manufacturers (like computer makers) to consider these consumer-recognized "branded components" when procuring parts.
In conclusion, no matter how times change or technology advances, the core of marketing remains constant: solving human needs. From understanding consumer psychology to building brand connections and influencing B2B purchasing decisions, all marketing efforts should aim to satisfy people's actual needs and deep desires. Only by truly putting people first can one remain invincible in a rapidly changing market.
總而言之,無論時代如何變遷,科技如何發展,行銷的核心始終不變:解決人的需求 (Solving human needs)。從理解消費者的心理,到建立品牌連結,再到影響 B2B 的採購決策,所有的行銷努力都應指向滿足人們的實際需求與深層渴望。只有真正以人為本,才能在快速變化的市場中立於不敗之地。
In conclusion, Tom is a man you can count on.
總之,湯姆是個你可信賴的人。