Why should you consider the motivations of your customers in your marketing?

Hello and welcome to the eighth edition of the Motivation Matters Linkedin Newsletter 

Last time I looked at the connection between motivation and the employee experience, this time I’m going to dip into the connection between motivation and marketing.

Motivation is the driving force behind human behavior, and understanding its connection to marketing is important for businesses aiming to create impactful and effective marketing. In a world where we have choices to buy things that appear to be very similar, values often play a big part in the final decision we make.

Motivations are deeply rooted in emotions, and emotions are the driving force behind decision-making. By appealing to our customer’s motivations we can create a strong emotional connection with our customers. To create an impactful marketing campaign, it is crucial to align your messaging with the motivations that drive your customers.

For example, if your target audience is motivated by achievement and success, your marketing messages should focus on how your product or service can help them achieve their goals and stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, if belonging and social connection are their key motivators, emphasising how your brand fosters a sense of community and belonging can be highly effective.

You may now be thinking, how do I know what motivates my customers? Sometimes it’s very much a case of trial and error and you may need to create something marketers call a split test. A split test is where you send out 2 or more different messages at the same time to see which one gets the most responses.

Think about the last time you came across a business event that caught your eye, what was it that sparked your interest? May be the message was about having more freedom or was it more about creating more predictability and security? My guess is it probably had both because they are two of the most powerful motivational drivers for business owners.

The next time you are planning any sort of marketing activity think about what your potential customers really want. To help you, here are nine motivational drivers that we all have but which ones are more important to your customers?

Security/Predictability 

Friendship/Belonging

Recognition/Social Esteem

Power/Influence

Money/Material Satisfaction

Expertise/Knowledge

Innovation/Creativity

Freedom/Autonomy

Purpose/Making a Difference

Are you clear on what really motivates you at work? My “How to stay energised at Work” course is designed to identify, describe and measure your motivations and includes a 30 minute clarity session with me

Motivation should not only guide marketing messages but also shape the entire customer experience. By understanding the motivations of your potential customers, you can design customer experiences that fulfill their desires and exceed their expectations.

From the initial interaction with your brand to the post-purchase support, every touchpoint should be aligned with your customers' motivations. Whether it's offering personalized recommendations, providing exclusive access to a community, or delivering exceptional customer service, a motivation-driven customer experience fosters strong brand affinity, customer satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.

Marketing is the way we draw our potential customers towards us, Sales is how we convert them into customers by giving them the solution to their problem. Next time I’ll dip into how you can use your knowledge of motivations in the Sales process

Until next time