Posted on: 05 December, 2001
Author: Pamela Heywood
Basic ... is about people's needs and their need to ... Most of us have a distinct priority at any given time, ... that must be solved before all others, a "one thing at atime" m Basic psychology is about people's needs and their need to fulfilthem. Most of us have a distinct priority at any given time, oneproblem that must be solved before all others, a "one thing at atime" mentality.You will be unlikely to interest a homeless man in a new car,until he's fulfilled his basic need for shelter first - unless heplans to live in the vehicle, I suppose.Understanding this principle and seeing how it applies toselling, will enhance your sales performance zillion-fold. Sellone thing at a time and concentrate on that. Sell other things as"back-end" once the immediate need is fulfilled. Don't confuse,don't stray from the point, do stick on the blinkers and keep tothe target and the matter in hand.Don't overlook the obvious.Make sure you put the words "Click Here" on a banner. Peoplerespond to simple commands. Serve up testimonials next to yourproducts or your newsletter sign-up form. People want to belongto groups: they'll want to belong to your "club" if it is seento be a good one and endorsed by others.Use colours that convey the right image and incite the rightactions. Want to be seen as an authority? Use black and yellow.Conservative and business-like? Dark blue, maybe a bit of grey.Business-like and money-orientated? Blue and green - which somany large corporate sites have adopted.Positioning of elements on a web page also makes a bigdifference. Apparently, whatever is at the top-right of thescreen is what's most likely to get clicked. The average eye isdrawn to that position - nothing to do with Windows' exit buttonbeing up there, I'm sure! This and 90% of the population beingright-handed, to me, makes a strong case for right-handnavigation, with your best offer in pole position.Words: I could write tomes on what you can do with them! But Iwon't make an idiot of myself, instead read what greatcopywriters like David Garfinkel, who is the author of KillerCopy Tactics and widely acclaimed as "The World's GreatestCopywriting Coach" says. He uses psychology to great effect:http://www.roibot.com/kc.cgiThe main point with words is to get to the emotions of yourvisitors. It has been said time and time again, but all anyone isinterested in, is what your product or service will do for them.They do not care who you are or how many bells your widget has:they want to know if it will save them time or money, make themmore desirable to the opposite sex or solve some problem theyhave. You need to show them the problem and how your offer solvesit for them.Some of these things are seemingly very small, simple andinsignificant, which is the beauty of them and, at the same time,the very reason why most people will overlook them. Using theright format in terms of colour, design and wording will havepsychological influence on your visitors, which turns them intosubscribers, buyers or whatever it is you desire.Great to have power, isn't it?I know, I know, it all sounds awfully manipulative and in thewrong hands, I'd tend to agree with you. But I am not talkingabout making people do something against their will. I am sayingthat this is nature and harnessing it: guiding people in thedirection that they would naturally go, is a far more logical wayof obtaining the result you require.Think about the rules of Judo or Karate, where you utilise youropponent's own strength to gain advantage. Pushing them furtherin the direction that they were already going will have them overa lot easier than it would have if you'd struggled to use yourstrength against them in the opposite direction.The same goes for mental engagements. People - that includes youand me, whether we wish to admit it or not - do react in almostpredictable ways to these stimuli. It is our nature: instinct andit surely makes sense to work with that, rather than against it.Otherwise, you are fighting against people and nature: givingyourself an uphill struggle, creating an unnecessary battle and ahurdle to be overcome. Don't make it hard for yourself or yourprospective clients. Know who they are and what they need, fulfilthat and you are well on your way to success. Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com