Today, when marketers are trying their best to increase conversions, one of the most powerful strategies still remains in the shadows — behavioral marketing. Based on the laws of behavioral economics and behavioral psychology, it offers access to effective solutions that often do not require large investments. Behavioral marketing doesn't require a huge budget—just an understanding of how human choice works. When you don't put pressure on the user, but lead him, he willingly follows you.

1. Show no more than 4 options

Too much choice slows down decision-making. A study by Gallivan and colleagues has shown that the brain easily assimilates up to four elements simultaneously. At five or more, cognitive overload begins, and the person simply "shuts down."

Divide the options into groups of four. For example, a menu with 12 links can be divided into 4 categories, each of which contains three links — the choice becomes much easier. Here is an example. The landing page of the focus app offered 8 subscription options. After the test, the number was reduced to 4: "1 month", "3 months", "1 year", "Forever". The result is +12% towards the completion of the payment. In other words, when choosing a tariff, size, color, or subscription, give your client no more than 4 options. Click on the "Show more" button for the remaining items.

2. Use stage by stage

The selection process often goes through three stages:

1. "Do I need to buy?"
2. "What should I buy?"
3. "How do I buy this?"

If a person is offered an unnecessary choice (for example, between an elephant and a hippopotamus), the brain immediately switches to the second stage — what to buy. Delaying the first question reduces the likelihood of a purchase. That is, if the user has already "mentally bought", he will move faster towards payment. For example, in the Netflix interface, when you click on a movie, the message appears: "Continue watching" — even if you haven't watched it. This reinforces the feeling that the choice has already been made. 

How to use it? Show the title of the book as "selected" — the user will decide that he has already started. In the application - "Recommended for you" or "Added to favorites" before the selection.

3. Support through imagination (simulation)

Decision-making often takes place not through calculation, but through imagination: we imagine how we get benefits, evaluate costs, and empathy.

That is, before reading an article (or any content), a person has already modeled himself reading it — this makes it easier to start. To enhance the effect, start communication with something that would help a person imagine themselves a little ahead — in the role of a satisfied customer. Our brain likes to fantasize, so simulation works harder than logic.

For example, in an advertisement for a fitness app: "Imagine opening your closet and putting on jeans that you haven't worn in a year." Such a text turns on the imagination and causes a click more often than just "Lose 5 kg."

Feel free to use the phrases: "Imagine how ...", "You click and see ...", "When you open ...". That is, the message is not "you can", but as if the action is already being performed.

4. Break down big tasks.

When a person allocates resources (for example, money or attention), he prefers to do it evenly. A study by Fox and colleagues has shown that when there are three options, we distribute resources equally between them.

If the product/offer features can be divided into several subcategories (for example, dividing a healthy diet into vegetables and fruits), a person is likely to choose more from the useful segment. The user distributes the selection evenly into categories, if any. For example, in one food delivery app, the items were split into "Healthy" and "Regular." Because of this, orders from the "Healthy" increased by 18% — people felt that they needed to "balance" the diet.

How else to apply: in a reading room, books can be divided into "Inspire", "Calm" and so on. In the store, you can divide the products according to the motivation of the purchase: "To please yourself", "As a gift", "On the road".

5. Make the choice fun.

Marketing is not only about logic, but also about impressions - all this allows people to express themselves, to respond emotionally. That is, you can turn the choice into a game. Gamification and emotions will make you want to prove yourself.

Example: in one cafe, there was a choice on a tip jar: "Dogs or cats?" — two jars. People willingly "voted with a coin."

6. Use touch triggers

People notice what catches their eye. It can be a bright color, an unusual shape, or a sound. In the Shen & Sengupta study, a loudspeaker vending machine attracted more customers, despite the fact that the sound was not related to the purchase — its effect was explained by stimulating attention.

The English course promo banner used a button with a slight vibration when hovering over. The click rate increased by 9%.

How to apply it: use micro-animation or shadow on the button. 

The color of the "action" (CTA) should contrast sharply with the background, but not "hit the eyes".

For example: in audiobooks, the sound of a page flipping when switching chapters will evoke positive emotions and attract attention.

7. Create a selection context by comparing

A person makes decisions easier when they see alternatives. This is the "choice compromise" effect: if there are three options, most people will choose the average one, although if there were no options for comparison, they would choose the cheapest or the best. Put the options side by side, and the average one will work better. The buyer does not want to take the cheapest (looks "poor" or limited) and is not ready for the most expensive (too risky or expensive). The average option is perceived as a reasonable compromise between price and quality.

Imagine you are selling two dictionaries: A: 10,000 words, as new – $30 and B: 20,000 words, good condition – $35

Most people will think, "Well, 20,000 words is more, but the condition is worse. And 10,000 is not enough, even if it's as good as new." It's unclear what to choose. As a result, there is doubt, and ... often no purchase. What does a competent marketer do? He adds a third option C: 20,000 words, in perfect condition – $50

Now B is the golden mean: almost as much as C (but cheaper by $15), better in volume than A (and only $5 more expensive). The result: most people will choose B because it looks optimal in terms of price/quality ratio.

Where the compromise effect can be perfectly applied:

• Subscriptions: Free / Standard / Premium (they buy Standard more often).
• Electronics: iPhone 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB (more often 256 GB).
• Online courses: “Lite” / “Pro” / “Ultimate" — average sounds not poor, but not pretentious either.

Result

• Maximum of 4 options: don't overload with selections and selections. Group by meaning.
• Visualize the choice. Let the person mentally live the purchase.
• Split the sentences. Divide the category to emphasize what is important.
• Emotions are more important than benefits. Engage through the game.
• An impulse through attention. Use noticeable elements: color, sound, shape.
• Context through comparison. Put the options side by side, and the average one will "work better."