Consumers are sophisticated, they know when they’re being marketed and sold to.
Even though people want to buy things to solve their problems and satisfy their desires, we also have powerful filtering mechanisms that shift attention away from messages that are “selling” to us.
Rather than a direct benefit-oriented sales approach, an indirect method is used to spark interest, build trust, establish shared identity, and prove authority before the offer is made.
You might say all those pieces of the indirect method are part of brand building.
via Leading Expert
We should all strive to approach our work with this belief from Khalilah Olokunola
Today I consider myself an Impact Architect. I only build that which brings impact.
It rhymes with the concept of being a superstar in your role that sports teams (go Celtics!) talk about.
Every little thing it does is magic, because…
It reduces decision friction.
Or, as Why We Buy says:
[because] eliminates our brain’s natural tendency to overthink a decision.
Instead, it signals the mental heavy lifting has already been done, so the brain shortcuts to accepting what comes after as a valid reason. And we’re more likely to comply when something’s justified.
A classic example:
Based on my kids, real-time generative AI produced entertainment should be the preferred medium for Generation Alpha
Common request format: I want {novel iteration} of {common format}
They try to find something that matches the (multimodal style) vision in their head
We talk about this with clients a lot, and currently have a company thinking about switching to us because their current partner relies too heavily on promos.
The danger isn’t in discounting itself. It’s in conditioning. When buyers consistently see 20% off, they don’t view it as a bonus — they start viewing full price as a penalty. Over time, your standard pricing feels inflated, and loyalty shifts from brand to bargain.
The balance will (likely) get harder in our post-tariff world.
Sales and promotions are tools in your toolkit. But they shouldn’t be the introduction.
via Buyology