Understand how emotions influence the purchasing decision process

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Did you know that understanding what is behind the purchasing decision process is a way to gain a competitive advantage? Just think: with this, it is possible to discover what is going on in the minds of consumers and respond to their demands to sell more.

One of the aspects with the greatest influence on the consumer journey is emotions. Therefore, by understanding which emotions motivate a purchase, both marketing and sales can build strategies to activate them.

Want to know more about the subject? Check out some relevant information below!

The various dimensions of the purchasing usa number dataset process
On the path between discovering a need and making a purchase that meets it, the customer goes through a journey in which they evaluate options. Behind this purchase decision process, there are emotional, social, cultural and economic dimensions that influence it.

This is a complex scenario in which, although it is important to consider real demands, gains and consequences of each possibility, the tendency is for even these elements to be impacted by subjective points.

The deepest aspect of the mind dominates
Obviously, the emotional sphere falls within the realm of what is subjective. Just to give you an idea of ​​how impactful this is, a Harvard study estimated that 95% of the cognitive processes that lead to a decision happen unconsciously.

A good example of this scenario is a survey by SPC/BRASIL that classified buyers' impulsiveness as low, medium and high. The latter option was at 27.8%, while the latter at 46.6% and the former at only 25.6%. This same analysis indicates that for 36.9%, the desire to buy drives them until it is satisfied.

In practice, this means that a large part of consumer choices are based on elements that are at the deepest level of the mind, whether emotions, perceptions or moods, including:

the search for an emotional reward;
the desire to avoid the feeling of loss if you don't get what you want;
the need to be at an advantage , to be a pioneer and to stand out;
the possibility of a positive association with oneself.
On the other hand, some biases are involved in this process . One of them, that of experience , makes the best or worst of situations already experienced weigh in at this time. There is also that of context, in which the way something is presented has a great effect on the audience.

Finally, when there is a rejection of innovative and better options in favor of sticking with what is known, prejudice bias occurs. Often, this aspect is more related to the customer's emotional connection with the brand than to what its product or service delivers.

A metric for emotional bonding
As we have seen, emotional bonds are something that weigh heavily in the purchasing decision process, right? However, because they are difficult to measure, they are not always considered correctly in analyses of this area.

In addition to neuromarketing research, one way to measure this is through an indicator called Customer Emotional Value (CEV). To obtain it, participants must indicate in a questionnaire their identification, on a scale of 0 to 20, with five pairs of emotions felt in relation to the brand. They are:

disappointed or delighted;
disrespected or respected;
distant or near;
unsafe or safe;
sad or happy.
Your result should be added up and interpreted. Anyone with a score below 20 is classified as a hater, those in the range of 20 to 40 are potential haters, those between 40 and 60 are indifferent, those above that up to 80 include potential lovers and those above that are lovers.

From this framework, the business can find the sources of dissatisfaction or the reasons that lead consumers to love their products and services, using studies targeted at each group.

The purchasing decision process is influenced by several elements. Among them, the emotional field stands out, as it relates to a wide range of aspects of life, from the most intimate to a person's public image. Therefore, understanding and measuring its impact is essential to building better commercial strategies.