“Making your prospects feel like they have an exclusive membership in a club makes Lead Generation a positive customer experience.” – Eric Brower

All the leads in the world are worthless if you can’t get them to buy. You need to know how to efficiently turn a prospect into a lead, and a lead into a customer. Then it is a simple method of understanding your customer acquisition cost, and your profit per customer, to run a profitable business. The following 7 psychological triggers have been proven to consistently convert leads into customers.

1. Pain Avoidance

Psychologists and great salesmen will tell you this is the largest motivator of all human behavior. Explain how your product or service helps your leads avoid pain in their life in some way. Then your chances of turning those leads into customers is excellent.

2. Pleasure Attainment

What is the second most efficient motivation for getting someone to do something? Help them gain pleasure. It can be argued that either pain avoidance or pleasure attainment is at the core of every human decision. Make it clear how your product or service addresses the pleasure side of the equation.

3. The Power of “New”

When you hear about a new restaurant in town, doesn’t it create some interest in your mind? On a physiological level, novelty boosts the release of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and one of its functions is to stimulate your belief that a reward is just around the corner.

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Make your offering new and novel and your conversion rates will rise.[/tweet_box]

4. The Need to Know Why

Psychologist Ellen Langer conducted a psychology experiment. To people using a photocopier, she asked, “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” A full 60% of the people she asked allowed her to cut in line in front of them. Then she began asking, “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine BECAUSE I’m in a rush?” Compliance shot up to an incredible 94%. Explain to your leads exactly why they should become a customer, make sure you use the incredible power of the word ‘because’, and you will fulfill the psychological need in your prospects’ minds to know why they should do something.

5. Social proof

Testimonials, referrals and case studies from satisfied customers prove to your leads that they will benefit from your offer.

6. The Desire to Belong

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Most human beings have an innate desire to be part of something that is bigger than themselves.[/tweet_box]

Online project management provider Basecamp harnesses this desire effectively. In different marketing campaigns, online and off, they inform prospects how many companies have “… signed up for Basecamp to manage their projects. Today it’s your turn.” This appeals to the human herd mentality.

7. The Fear of Missing Out

Give your leads a time limitation to become a customer. No one likes to think they missed out on a good thing. You can compound the effectiveness of this psychological sales trigger by limiting the quantity of products or offers you have available.