OP 11 July, 2024 - 11:34 AM
Mental triggers are specific stimuli or situations that evoke automatic emotional or behavioral reactions in a person. They can be positive or negative and are often the result of previous experiences or associations. Mental triggers are used in marketing, psychotherapy, and personal development to influence behavior and emotions.
What other triggers do you know?
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- AUTHORITIES
Susceptibility to others' opinions often depends on the authority of the person expressing them. Imagine a doctor in a white coat. Most of us feel a sense of respect when we see someone in a white coat. We listen to everything they say and are ready to follow their advice. If we hear something we disagree with, we might even feel uncomfortable. This behavior is normal. When we are unsure, we seek help from others. Authority, like other mental triggers, speeds up the decision-making process. Every day, we make thousands of small decisions, each requiring some level of involvement and thought. Our brain's ability to rely on authority increases the efficiency of this process.
- RECIPROCITY
The idea of reciprocity is that when we receive something useful from someone, we feel somewhat obliged to repay them. This is an extremely important mental trigger that has existed for thousands of years
- TRUSTThe simplest way to influence people is by building trust. You can probably recall many instances when a close friend, parent, or teacher told you something you believed without question. In contrast, the same statement from a stranger would be met with skepticism. Such is the power of trust.
The easiest way to build trust is over time. You might remember a situation where someone seemed very different from you and even strange. You couldn't imagine befriending such a person. However, over time, you saw their reliability and honesty, and gradually you began to trust them.
- ANTICIPATION
Anticipation is a trigger that helps you cut through the "marketing fog." It captures and holds the market's attention. Remember how, as a child, you waited for a special day? Maybe it was your birthday, New Year's, or the last day before summer vacation. As that day approached, time seemed to slow down. You couldn't think of anything else and eagerly awaited it. Here's a secret: we're all just big kids, and we still look forward to special days. If done correctly, your launch can feel like a combination of a birthday and summer vacation to your clients.
It's clear that rarer things are more desirable. Anticipation is closely tied to "events," dates people mark on their calendars and constantly check as the day approaches. If you use this trigger correctly, people will mark your launch date on their calendars and start looking forward to it. You engage them in a story you've written, making them eager for the next episode and the release of your product. Combining anticipation with other mental triggers increases its effectiveness and achieves remarkable results.
- LIKABILITYThe ability to be likable is a mental trigger you've undoubtedly encountered. It's clear that we enjoy dealing with people we like and trust. Those who garner our sympathy influence us much more than those who don't.
I'll risk reminding you of the obvious fact: you become more attractive by making others feel good. Be kind, generous, and honest, and people will gravitate towards you. The more likable you are, the greater your influence.
- EVENTS AND RITUAL
People are drawn to events; events captivate them. They provide an opportunity to feel part of something bigger. This is why sports fans closely follow the fate of their favorite teams. Often, they are entirely unfamiliar with the team members, but observing their games becomes a significant event in fans' lives. To a considerable extent, this trigger is based on something like a "ritual." Sharing in an event becomes a kind of ritual. Rituals bring people together and create some of the most powerful experiences available to humans.
- SOCIETYA powerful mental trigger is our environment. We behave according to societal norms.
I'm sure you'll agree upon reflection that you belong to several communities. These may include colleagues, various social groups, circles of friends, and even online forums. In all cases, there are certain rules defining behavioral norms. Naturally, each community has its own norms, but they exert a strong influence on the members of that specific community.
- SCARCITYScarcity is one of the most powerful mental triggers.
It's quite simple: the rarer something is, the more desirable it becomes. In reality, our behavior is often driven by the awareness of scarcity. If you think about it, this trigger affects our lives in many ways. Why do people value diamonds more than other precious stones? Because they are harder to mine, cut, and there are fewer of them, making them highly valuable.
This trigger compels people to make decisions. The vast majority prefer to delay this moment, especially when it comes to spending money. However, one of the main goals of your marketing is to prompt people to make decisions, and information about scarcity helps here. If a resource is scarce, decisions have to be made quickly, or it might run out.
Experience indeed shows that in the final hours of a launch, sales often surpass those of all previous times combined.
- SOCIAL PROOF
This trigger is related to the idea that people consider their behavior correct as long as they see others behaving similarly. Typically, when unsure how to act, we begin to emulate those around us. Humans are social beings, so it's incorrect to think that others' actions have no influence on us.
What other triggers do you know?