Why customers buy (science reveals)

3 Psychological Triggers Every Marketer Should Be Using

Good marketing isn’t about being the loudest. It’s about knowing how people think.

Every time someone clicks, buys, or ignores your ad completely, there’s psychology at play. People don’t make decisions as logically as they think they do. Their brains are wired to pay attention to certain things, get stuck on unfinished tasks, and live up to expectations. Whether they realize it or not.

The best marketers don’t just guess what works. They use psychology to craft campaigns that FEEL right to the audience. The kind that pulls people in, keeps them engaged, and makes taking action the obvious next step.

Today, we’re breaking down 3 of the most powerful psychological principles you can use to get inside your customer’s head (in a good way).

And, if you want to go even deeper, here are a few books I highly recommend that I’ve read cover to cover:

📖: Influence by Robert Cialdini

📖: Using Behavioral Science in Marketing by Nancy Harhut
📖: Alchemy by Rory Sutherland
📖: The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
📖: The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton

These aren’t theory. They’ll teach you how to apply psychology in marketing to create campaigns that actually move people to take action.

1️⃣. The Von Restorff Effect – Make 1 Thing Stand Out

The human brain is built to filter out noise and focus on whatever breaks the pattern. This survival instinct helped early humans spot a predator in a dense forest today, it helps consumers decide what actually deserves their attention.

In 1933, German psychiatrist Hedwig von Restorff conducted an experiment that revealed people are far more likely to remember an item that stands out from its surroundings. If you see a list of random black words and one is highlighted in blue, odds are you’ll recall the blue word more than the others.

This principle applies everywhere. A single bolded phrase in a paragraph, a pop of color in a grayscale design, or an unexpected element in an otherwise uniform setting.

Marketers who ignore this principle wonder why their campaigns fall flat. If your CTA button looks like every other button on the page, if your ad blends into the background, if your email subject line sounds like everything else in a crowded inbox. Why would anyone notice, let alone take action?

How to Use It:

Your most important element. The thing you need the audience to focus on—should visually command attention.

🚨: Calls to action (CTAs) should contrast with the rest of the page. If everything is blue, don’t make your CTA blue.

🚨: Pricing plans should emphasize the best choice. A simple “Most Popular” label or a bold outline can guide decision-making.

🚨: Headlines and subject lines should disrupt expectations. Play with unusual formatting, emojis (if on brand), or an unexpected phrase to grab attention.

🚨: Product visuals should highlight key features through color blocking, animation, or a distinct shape that sets it apart from competing elements.

The goal? Guide the eye exactly where you want it to go. If it doesn’t stand out, it gets ignored.

2️⃣. The Zeigarnik Effect – Unfinished Business Drives Action

In the 1920s, psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik made a fascinating discovery while observing waiters in a Vienna café. She noticed they could remember unpaid orders with incredible accuracy but forgot them almost immediately after the bill was settled.

This led to the discovery of the Zeigarnik Effect, the idea that our brains hold onto unfinished tasks more than completed ones.

This psychological tension explains why cliffhangers keep people binge-watching, why an unfinished email draft lingers in your mind, and why an unchecked box on a to-do list feels mentally exhausting. The brain dislikes loose ends and seeks closure. That discomfort can be a powerful motivator, which is why smart marketers use it to drive action.

How to Use It:

The most effective marketing creates an open loop that demands resolution.

🚨: Cliffhanger storytelling. Ads, emails, or social media content should create curiosity that can only be satisfied by taking the next step. Instead of revealing everything upfront, leave the most compelling piece for the next click, swipe, or message.

🚨: Abandoned cart recovery. When a customer leaves without checking out, remind them that their order is still waiting. The unfinished purchase creates psychological tension, increasing the likelihood of returning to complete it.

🚨: Incomplete sign-ups. If a user starts but does not finish signing up, remind them where they left off. The brain dislikes incomplete processes, and a simple “Finish setting up your account” email can trigger the need to close the loop.

The goal is not to frustrate but to create an irresistible sense of incompleteness. When people feel like something is unfinished, their brain naturally works to resolve the tension, often by taking the action you want them to take.

3️⃣. The Pygmalion Effect – People Live Up to Expectations

People don’t just respond to expectations. They internalize them. In the 1960s, researchers Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted a study where teachers were told that certain students in their class had high potential for intellectual growth.

In reality, these students were picked randomly. By the end of the school year, those students had actually outperformed their peers. The only difference was that their teachers believed they were high achievers, so they unconsciously treated them in ways that reinforced that expectation.

This phenomenon, known as the Pygmalion Effect, shows that people tend to live up to the expectations placed on them. It is why high performers in companies thrive when managers believe in them and why students in accelerated programs continue to excel. It is also why marketing that positions the audience as already being the kind of person who takes action is far more persuasive than marketing that tells them to change.

How to Use It:

Your audience wants to be part of an identity, not feel like an outsider looking in. The most effective messaging frames the customer as already being the type of person who benefits from your product, rather than someone who needs to fundamentally change.

🚨: Reframe your messaging. Instead of saying “Become a better marketer,” say “You’re already ahead of the game—here’s how to take it further.” This reinforces a pre-existing identity rather than pushing for a transformation that feels overwhelming.

🚨: Use inclusive language. Phrases like “for high-growth startups,” “for ambitious professionals,” or “for industry leaders” make people identify with those groups, which influences their behavior.

🚨: Showcase aspirational users. People mimic those they identify with. Highlight customers who are just a step ahead of where your audience currently is, making it feel attainable.

🚨: Personalized onboarding. When a new user joins, guide them as if they are already a power user. Instead of “Start your free trial,” say “Your workspace is ready for you. Here’s your next step.” The subtle shift reinforces that they belong.

The Pygmalion Effect works because it removes friction. Instead of convincing people to change, you make them feel like they’re simply continuing on a path they are already on. When people see themselves as part of a group, they naturally act in ways that align with that identity.

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