Marketing isn’t just about pushing products or services. It’s about understanding how people think and using that knowledge to shape perceptions.
By tapping into some psychological principles, marketers can create more compelling, impactful strategies.
Let’s explore three influential effects: the Halo, the Framing, and the Anchoring, each with a major impact on how people perceive and respond to brands.
1. The Halo Effect: First Impressions Count
The Halo Effect describes how first impressions set the tone for all future interactions. When people encounter a brand—through its website, social media, or even a simple handshake—they make snap judgments that can impact their overall perception. If a brand’s social media is vibrant and engaging, people might assume the brand itself is lively and trustworthy. Conversely, if the website looks outdated or the messaging is dull, people may conclude the services are subpar, even if they’re excellent.
This effect cuts both ways:
- Fun social media presence = fun, trustworthy brand.
- Boring social media presence = boring brand.
- Polished, professional website = high-quality services.
- Poor website design = low-quality services.
For brands, maintaining a consistent and appealing image across all platforms is critical.
How a business “shows up” in every interaction—online or offline—matters because each impression is an opportunity to either enhance or damage customer perception.
2. The Framing Effect: It’s All in the Presentation
The way information is presented, or “framed,” influences how people perceive it. A message framed positively will often feel more appealing than one framed negatively, even if both convey the same underlying information. For instance:
- “You have a 90% chance of surviving surgery” sounds reassuring.
vs - “You have a 10% chance of dying from surgery” sounds alarming.
In marketing, framing can be used to emphasize the positive benefits of a product or service and downplay any perceived risks. Here’s how framing can be applied effectively:
- “Join our event and avoid years of back pain.”
- “Download our guide and prevent bloating.”
- “Sign up now to look and feel your best at the beach.”
By framing messages in a way that highlights the positives and minimizes negatives, brands can help guide customer decisions and foster a sense of trust and positivity.
3. The Anchoring Effect: Setting the Right Baseline
The Anchoring Effect shows how people rely heavily on the first piece of information they receive (the “anchor”) to make subsequent judgments. For example, if a product is listed at $1,000 but then reduced to $100, it feels like a great deal, even if that discount is part of the regular price strategy. Similarly, offering “10 sessions for the price of 5” makes people feel they’re getting added value, anchored by the initial number of sessions.
Anchoring is powerful in pricing and promotion:
- A high original price followed by a discount can make a product seem like a great value.
- Offering “extra” sessions or benefits relative to a lower initial offer can feel like a bonus.
However, it’s essential to use anchoring ethically. Customers appreciate value, but if brands inflate prices only to mark them down significantly, it can erode trust. The best practice is to create a genuine sense of value by carefully choosing your anchor points and delivering quality.
The Halo, Framing, and Anchoring Effects show how much perception matters in marketing and help marketers build campaigns that not only catch attention but also create lasting positive impressions.
