Executive Street News

How to Communicate with your Customer 100% of the Time

April 15, 2011 • • Print

Why should you diagnose the pain of your consumer instead of determining their wants and needs? Because by marketing to one’s reptilian brain, you are using a language that can help you communicate with your customers 100% of the time.

Neuromarketing, the science behind consumer behavior, explains the process of decision-making in consumers. By using fMRI scanning (which studies the change in blood flow) and EEG recording (which studies brain waves), Patrick Renvoise and Christophe Morin of Salesbrain have unlocked the science behind what makes consumers buy. Contrary to popular belief, decision-making happens in your subconscious mind and not your conscious mind. By targeting customer wants and needs, you are actually targeting the part of the brain that is NOT involved in the decision-making process.

Getting back to the importance of addressing pain points—Domino’s pizza diagnosed the pain point of its customers years ago. Unlike most pizza delivery companies, Domino’s didn’t focus on fresh ingredients, healthy food, or having the best pizza in town. Dominos focused on “having your pizza in 30 minutes or less, or it’s free.” Why, you ask? Domino’s discovered that the biggest pain point for customers is not knowing how long it will take to get their pizza.

Another great example of a company who defined its customer’s pain point is Starbucks. You would think that Starbucks is in the business of providing great coffee, specialty drinks and a place to get caffeinated so that you can make it through the work day. In fact, their main marketing goal is to create a transition from home to work. Think about it; where do you go when you need to study, get work done or go for a meeting? I know that for a lot of you, the answer is Starbucks.  Through their research, they’ve discovered the main pain point of their customer: needing a place away from home and the office where their consumer can get work done.

Diagnose the pain points of your business:
Start with a 30,000 foot question like: What keeps your client awake at night? Then get a little more specific, like: In what ways would you say that your client is worried or concerned about financial challenges? Etc.

Have any of you thought your client wants and needs were one thing, and after further research found that your clients actually needed something completely different? I’d love to hear your stories!

In Marketing • Tagged , , , , ,
  • http://twitter.com/Verilliance Verilliance

    You know, I just saw a tweet from someone expressing fear and anger over the future possibility of absolute mind control over consumers. The tweet said, “I really hate the use of behavioral and cog sci to turn people into zombies” and I replied, “good thing it can’t”.

    I appreciate the need to create a headline that will get a lot of views, but it’s a false claim to say that you can get customers to buy 100% of the time, and it’s also irresponsible in that these kinds of claims feed the fear surrounding neuromarketing, which ultimately hurts everyone in the industry AND consumers.

    All we can do is OPTIMIZE messaging, but we can’t account for context outside our control. And at the end of the day, trust me, that’s better for everyone involved.

    This post could have done equally well with a more responsible title.

  • http://twitter.com/Verilliance Verilliance

    You know, I just saw a tweet from someone expressing fear and anger over the future possibility of absolute mind control over consumers. The tweet said, “I really hate the use of behavioral and cog sci to turn people into zombies” and I replied, “good thing it can’t”.

    I appreciate the need to create a headline that will get a lot of views, but it’s a false claim to say that you can get customers to buy 100% of the time, and it’s also irresponsible in that these kinds of claims feed the fear surrounding neuromarketing, which ultimately hurts everyone in the industry AND consumers.

    All we can do is OPTIMIZE messaging, but we can’t account for context outside our control. And at the end of the day, trust me, that’s better for everyone involved.

    This post could have done equally well with a more responsible title.

  • http://twitter.com/BenjiVistage Benji Hyam

    @Verilliance,

    Thanks for the input. I agree with your comment- the title was a bit of an exaggeration. What I meant is that most companies create messaging that doesn’t reflect the needs of their consumer- by addressing the pain points of the customer through Neuromarketing instead of just using traditional marketing methods, you are 100% more likely to convince the customer than by using messaging that targets what a company thinks are their consumers wants and needs.

    Neuromarketing is not the all-in-one solution to a company’s marketing efforts but it can assist in deciding the right messaging to target the consumer. To address your concern, I have changed the title to “How to Communicate with your Customer 100% of the Time.”

  • http://twitter.com/Verilliance Verilliance

    Great! I appreciate your changing the title. As a neuromarketing advocate I hope to educate both businesses AND consumers about the realistic expectations, and I think your edited title is much more on-point.

    Cheers!

  • http://twitter.com/Verilliance Verilliance

    Great! I appreciate your changing the title. As a neuromarketing advocate I hope to educate both businesses AND consumers about the realistic expectations, and I think your edited title is much more on-point.

    Cheers!

  • http://twitter.com/BenjiVistage Benji Hyam

    @Verilliance,

    Thanks for the input. I agree with your comment- the title was a bit of an exaggeration. What I meant is that most companies create messaging that doesn’t reflect the needs of their consumer- by addressing the pain points of the customer through Neuromarketing instead of just using traditional marketing methods, you are 100% more likely to convince the customer than by using messaging that targets what a company thinks are their consumers wants and needs.

    Neuromarketing is not the all-in-one solution to a company’s marketing efforts but it can assist in deciding the right messaging to target the consumer. To address your concern, I have changed the title to “How to Communicate with your Customer 100% of the Time.”