When asked the question, "Why did you buy that?" most people either don't know or won't tell you. Minds are emotional, not rational. 90% of decisions to buy are made emotionally. We insert a bit of logic to justify what we wanted to do.
Minds also tend to remember attributes and things that no longer exist.
People also buy what they think they SHOULD have. Call it herd mentality. Risk plays a big part in how people buy and what they buy. Following the herd reduces the risk somewhat.
According to Jack Trout in "Trout on Strategy", there are five forms of risk identified by behavioral scientists:
1. Monetary risk. (I could lose money on this.)
2. Functional risk (Maybe it won't work, or do what it's supposed to do.)
3. Physical risk (It looks a little dangerous. I could get hurt.)
4. Social risk (I wonder what my friends will think if I buy this.)
5. Psychological risk (I might feel guilty or irresponsible if I buy this.)
So how may we reduce the risk? One way is to use testimonials. It allows a mind to emulate the buying behavior of famous people: those we often look to as fashion-setters. Or perhaps the testimonial comes from an expert in their field. We rely on their superior knowledge.
Sometimes testimonials are from the satisfied customers of our clients. Let them tell their stories via our airwaves.
Endorsements by our announcers are also powerful. Our on-air people are the ones invited into homes and cars daily. They become de facto friends. Their recommendations can move mountains.
Our job is always to remove risk and increase value. The more we can do this, the more successful our campaigns will be.