Humans are irrational beings
For as long as I can remember I have been living with the quest to understand how human beings behave. I have spent time trying to contemplate why humans behave contrary to expectations. In reference to my recent experience of how people in my community have been responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, I expected they would have responded rationally by observing rules and regulations, in order to minimize the spread of the pandemic yet that was like trying to play an ukulele to a goat and expect it to dance to the its tune.
When the idea of persuading people to do what you want them to do, pops up, Cialdini’s 7 classical principals of persuasion are the ones that come in to mind. From a layman’s perspective the act of persuasion sounds like a straight forward action.
In line with observations I have made during this covid-19 pandemic period, leaders are failing at trying to control the disease. They assume that the community they are trying to convince are rational and will automatically conform to the rules served upon them. Despite the threat paused by the virus, people still act as usual, they are failing to follow the simple rules of wearing a mask, washing your hands or maintaining social distancing. Other than the disease I have noticed companies that understand the science persuasion principals have proved successful at making customers buy their products/services even when they don’t need them.
Safaricom has been giving free airtime to customers, despite it being active for a limited time it makes one feel valued. Personally, I was using a rival company’s sim card, but as soon as soon as I heard about those free offered, that meant I would afford Safaricom’s airtime subscription I switch in no time. This is in line with Cialdini’s first principals which states that as human we are obliged reciprocate to others if did us favor.
When Mpesa started it focused on establishing as many agents as possible all over the county. They also made the process of registering for the service and the process of transferring or withdrawing cash through their agents a consistent and easy process. Contrary to Western Union and money gram, where the customers had to walk long mile to get to the nearest transaction center at the same time customers were limited to not less than Kshs. 500 which was very difficult for those who did have less amount. In line with second Cialdini’s principal of commitment. Despite so many other MNOs trying to come and emulate Safaricom’s mobile money transfer services, have found it difficult to get clients despite trying to offer better services forgetting that the early investment of making it easy for people to transfer money to loved ones or colleagues made them commit to the service which they find difficult to switch to an alternative service as a result of almost every customer in Kenya having an Mpesa sim card.
At a time when most local hotels are running out of business due to low tourist turnout, A local ecolodge knowns as Distance relative is having an influx of tourists coming to grace their festivals. The approach used by Distance Relatives to attract both local and international tourist at a time other are failing, goes hand in hand with “Cialdini’s principal of social proof “which states that people do what they observe other people doing. Distance Relative has an active community through their website and Facebook who they try as much as they can share their experience during and after their events. When they first started it was only being graced by international tourists who used to come but not in large numbers. But as time went by, they invited the local community by creating a package that was okay with them. As the visitors shared their experiences, the word went around the country and the African continent through their Facebook page which have very many followers, as a result people from all over the continent and the world have been flocking in large numbers whenever they host an event.
The human species has a tendency to obey a person who is in authority be it a celebrity, politician. Raila Amollo Odinga is a politician who has been in the opposing end for the longest period in the Kenyan political arena. As a result of this he has become very popular even amongst his enemies. I rememeber the first time Mpesa (a leading mobile money transfer in east and central Africa) was introduced he was used as a campaign figure and within a short period the service gained a massive user base of around 100,000 people.
It’s unfortunate that in most African countries’ elections are always marred by rigging and violence by the incumbent. During the 2018 elections there we anomalies that almost split Kenya in to two. The loosing candidate was so expected to have won but that was never the case. Later on, rumors about a leading MNO and other local firms with financial muscle, having been involved in assisting the incumbent government in retaining power. This did not go well with the opposition. A campaign against use of this companies that were suspected of assisting the seating government in rigging was started, which resulted to a majority opponent supporters absconding using the suspected companies’ products.
In line with Cialdini’s principals of liking. A person who is liked has a tendency to influence the individuals who like him. In east Africa there a very famous musician called Diamond Platinums, who is loved by many for his songs that excite people across all ages. Companies that know this attribute about him have taken advantage by using him as their ambassador as a result it has increased their sales since his followers tend to buy stuffs endorsed by him.
Two years ago, an unknown guy loaded with cash went to Diamond and suggested they start a TV station which came to be known as WASAFI Media. The media house has grown to have a massive following due to fact that people naturally associate it with Diamond whom they like so much, although he doesn’t own the company his followers assume it is his.
Safaricom has become very successful at converting me and many others to being their customers as a result of utilizing Cialdini’s principal of “Scarcity” which states that people perceive a product to me more attractive when its alleged availability is limited. They have this offer where you get rewarded free minutes be during off pick hours subject to consuming airtime worth a certain amount. They limit the free minutes to off pick to off time house or even sometimes they award customers during on pick hours. Unlike in the past I used to prefer a rival company’s services but I switched due to this scarce offer.
During the rainy seasons most, Kenyans hardly buy maize floor from the shop due to availability of maize they have farmed in their farm land. At this point most, maize miller get sales of the maize floor gets affected. During the dry seasons the millers have a habit of making the maize floor a scarce commodity. The moment it returned to the market people buy more due to fear of it disappearing off the shelve again. This works very well for them because they compensate for the time that they didn’t sell enough due to rains which made their customers substitute their commodity for the ones they farmed in their land.
I remember when I first joined Facebook it was as a result of an instant connection, I had felt with old friends I left in my primary school. Then we use to call ourselves the three musketeers. By the time we had patted ways many years back there were no smartphones meaning there was no way we could get in touch, thanks to technologies like Facebook that enabled that. If there is one thing Facebok managed to do is factoring the Cialdini’s principal of Unitiy which is about shared identities humans have.
Last year my mum was suffering from massive toxic goiter which required her to undergo medical surgery, but the cost was too high for us to bear. Remembering the sense of shared identity Facebook brings to its consumers, we turned to it solicit fund from well-wishers to help us raise fund for the course. Am very sure we would have not achieved this through the normal fundraising exercise. Am glad friends whom I have lost touch with many years ago reached out to the rescue. Through Facebook people old friend managed to contribute the whole amount that enabled my mum to be operated, am glad she is fine now.
Foggs Behavior Model
According to Foggs Behavioral Model for driving behavioral changes states that for a behavior to occur there are three elements that must simultaneously occur: motivation, ability and trigger. By putting triggers on site visitors helps them quickly respond to an action you anticipate them to do.
In order to boost conversions, you need to understand and help your existing or potential customers in whatever they are trying to achieve through your site or application, motivate them by tapping into the right motivations. Focus on making the site or application easy to use hence making the process of taking action as easy as possible.
JUMUIA a leading online eCommerce in Kenya is utilizing the Fogg behavioral model very well which in turn has helped them increase their customer conversion. During the Covid-19 pandemic they have been focusing on selling essential items which they call fundamentals. They have created a clear banner on their site that displays all the food essentials a customer would need. The banner signals the site visitor to take action once they purchase, they get delivered to their home without the hustle of having to go to look for the items at the shop which sometimes is time consuming due to the restrictions that most supermarkets have put in place if you go physically for shopping.
Lesson from Nero marketing
The human is mainly bothered by three things; food, fight or flight and fornication. It has three distinct layers each having its own function. The “New Brain” act as a thinking module, the “Middle brain” is responsible for our feelings and last but not list is the “Old Brain” which is known as the “Reptilian Brain.” It is responsible for our decision-making process. Its main concern is survival.
The leaders in my country and community are failing at dealing with the current Covid-19 pandemic. Their mode of communication seems to be tailored to address the needs of the “New Brain” forgetting that the only way to make the community do what they would want done in order to stop the spread of Covid-19 is by understanding how to speak the “Reptilian Brain” our decisions are made through it.
The reptilian brain can be triggered through 6 stimuli. By understanding the selfish nature of our brain, you need to focus on delivering your content that is centered around the customers interest, because it’s in our nature to only be concerned with our own survival. Since the brain is hardwired to respond to divergence! We should always focus on bringing contrast in to the message we are trying to sell to them in help them make immediate decisions.
When scanning through materials, the old brain prefers noticeable input as opposed to extra time an energy involved in thinking. Tai Lopez is a famous social media marketer who utilizes this concept very well through his tailopez.com website. The “Want to be a Millionaire” is the most visible when you first land to his site, there after you are probed to take action. As it turns out Social Media marketing is a must have skill for anyone who plan to sell stuffs online yet it is not taught in most learning
Facebook book and WhatsApp are the most used applications in the world based on their novelty approach. When you are scrolling through the facebook unknown materials keep popping up, this provides you with fresh things that keeps us glued to the site. A similar approach used by WhatApp through their status screen. You can view what your friends have posted. The variance in Sad, Exciting and boring status keeps us glued to view more and more.
Safaricom which is a leading MNO in east and central Africa uses compelling images next to text messages when trying market their products. I remember one of their most interesting adverts that helped them convert more customers to use their MPesa Mobile money service was a photo of a rocking chair taken on the beach coupled with a message “Do all your transaction while relaxing.” For me the image summarized everything that you achieve when using Mpesa as a service.
The probability of you selling stuffs you need to focus and understand the customer’s pain point, then make sure the solution you are providing must present a unique proposition that differentiates you from competitors.
