Successful marketers go the extra mile by pairing strong offers with a clear understanding of how people think and feel. When you design campaigns that speak to real human emotions—curiosity, urgency, safety, pride—you make it easier for customers to say “yes.”
You need to understand what role psychology plays in the buying process. For example, different color schemes can impact sales on your website, as can message framing, page layout, and even subtle scarcity cues like limited-quantity badges.
If you want to take your marketing strategy to the next level, study how your customers think and what they value in key moments. Then, translate those insights into copy, creative, and onsite experiences that remove doubt and amplify motivation.
People behave differently when specific emotions are triggered—online and offline. You’ve likely felt this yourself when you clicked “buy now” to avoid missing a deal or when a reassuring return policy made a purchase feel safe.
Think about everyday reactions: firing off a hasty text when you’re upset or overexplaining when you feel anxious. Those choices are emotional first, logical second. Purchasing decisions work the same way.
Don’t worry—we’re not trying to make your customers angry or manipulate them. Ethical, customer-first marketing uses emotion to clarify value, reduce friction, and help people make confident decisions.
Below, you’ll see practical ways to tap into different emotions—without resorting to tricks—so you can drive more sales and build a brand people trust.
Here’s what you need to know about guiding the emotions of your customers.
Leverage the power of fear
Fear is one of the most powerful emotions, and when used responsibly it can help people move from hesitation to action. You can introduce healthy urgency and reduce risk—two sides of fear that matter in buying.
For starters, create the fear of missing out (FOMO) in honest, transparent ways.
In today’s age of social media, people feel FOMO more than ever. Take a look at these statistics from a recent study:
More than half of social media users feel compelled to monitor their feeds so they don’t miss out. That pressure shapes everyday choices, including what people buy and when they buy it. Smart marketers acknowledge this behavior and build time-bound, clearly stated offers that respect the customer.
How can you leverage this emotion from a marketing perspective? Simple: use time sensitivity and genuine scarcity. Clearly label deadlines, display limited-quantity notices, send last-chance reminders, and offer back-in-stock alerts instead of endless countdowns.
For example, you could run a flash sale offering 40% off everything on your website for the next six hours. Pair the offer with clear terms, a visible end time, and a frictionless checkout to help on-the-fence shoppers commit without feeling pressured.
If visitors are already comparing products or have items saved, a well-timed, limited-window promotion gives them a credible reason to act now—without compromising trust.
Depending on your products or services, you can also address fear by reducing perceived risk.
For example, if your company sells home security systems, you can show how your products help prevent a burglary or home invasion—while emphasizing real benefits like professional monitoring, fast response times, and easy installation.
This gently surfaces a legitimate fear and immediately offers a solution. Prospects realize their current setup may be insufficient and see a clear path to feeling safer.
Again, the goal isn’t to traumatize people. Keep the tone supportive and solution-oriented, not alarmist.
Check out this example of fear-based copy used on the Farmers Insurance website:
Someone shopping for home insurance can immediately see why flood coverage matters. In the event of a natural disaster, having the right policy protects your finances and peace of mind.
Apply this approach in almost any industry—even apparel. “Cold weather is coming—grab a heavyweight hoodie now” frames a purchase as prevention, not just style.
While this fear isn’t as intense as a burglary or disaster scenario, gentle, honest urgency still works—especially when it’s paired with helpful guidance (e.g., size, warmth rating, shipping timelines).
Take advantage of greed
People naturally seek deals and feel energized by getting more for less. Tap into that value-seeking instinct with promotions that are easy to understand and truly beneficial.
Think about the first warm day of spring when ice cream shops offer a free cone. Crowds form for something that normally costs only a few dollars. It’s not just “free”—it’s the fun of scoring a win.
As a marketer, you can harness this by designing offers that create a win-win: customers feel savvy, and you increase average order value or lifetime value.
Offer a compelling discount, then introduce smart cross-sells or bundles that improve outcomes for the customer (not just your margins). Free shipping thresholds, gift-with-purchase, and loyalty points all reinforce that feeling of getting more.
Here’s a great example from the Best Buy website:
BOGO. Buy one, get one.
If someone is shopping for a new smartphone, it’s hard to ignore a BOGO. The customer saves today, and the brand increases plan activations and long-term revenue. It’s a classic example of aligning incentives.
Wireless providers often earn most profits on plans and services, not devices. It can be worth giving away or discounting hardware to grow an account that pays for itself many times over.
Think about how a similar structure could work for you: bundles that introduce customers to more of your catalog, subscriptions with a first-month discount, or tiered savings that increase with cart size.
Build trust
Words like fear and greed often sound negative, but not every effective emotion is. Trust is foundational—and one of the fastest paths to higher conversion rates and repeat purchases.
Establishing trust with your customers is easier when you reward loyalty. Consider implementing a customer loyalty program that’s simple, transparent, and genuinely valuable.
Make every offer crystal clear. Customers should never be surprised by hidden fees, add-ons, or exclusions at checkout. Transparency builds confidence, and confidence drives sales.
Anytime someone buys from you, they trust you with sensitive information like credit card numbers and addresses. Treat that trust like an asset you must continually earn.
Studies have long shown that credit card fraud is a major concern for consumers.
Even if a customer hasn’t been affected personally, they likely know someone who has. Show your protections: secure payment gateways, clear privacy policies, recognizable trust badges, and fast, friendly support.
Offer a secure checkout process, free returns, easy-to-find contact options, and predictable shipping. Add estimated delivery dates, real-time order tracking, and self-service returns to reduce anxiety further.
Add customer testimonials to your website as well. Pair quotes with names, photos (with permission), and specific outcomes. When people see others trust you, they’re far more likely to do the same.
Create a sense of belonging
Use your brand to establish a community among your customers. People rarely buy just a product—they buy into a story and a group of people like them.
Your job is to identify what your best customers share—goals, challenges, identity—and create places for them to connect.
As a result, you’ll spark emotions that drive loyalty and advocacy, not just single transactions.
For example, if your company sells boxing equipment, your customers likely value discipline, fitness, and competition. Build spaces for them: training tips, sparring etiquette, strength routines, and recovery advice.
Create a forum or dedicate part of your site to user-generated content. Invite customers to share their routines, before-and-after progress, and lessons from wins and losses. Recognize standout contributions to keep momentum high.
Here’s another example of this concept from Diet Bet:
This website hosts a community of people who share the goal of losing weight. The social accountability makes progress feel achievable—and keeps people returning.
When customers feel they belong, they visit more often, engage more deeply, and buy more readily. A thriving community compounds your marketing long after a single campaign ends.
People may come to post or browse, but they’ll often leave with a purchase—especially when relevant products and content appear alongside community conversations.
Eliminate frustration
Frustration is the emotion you least want associated with your brand. Even small annoyances—slow pages, form errors, confusing pricing—can derail a motivated buyer.
Here’s a recent frustrating experience we had while trying to buy something online. We won’t call out the company by name.
We found a product in a physical store but chose to order online to avoid carrying it around. A sales associate emailed us the product link to make checkout easy.
Days later, we clicked the link, filled out shipping and billing details, and then learned we had to create an account to proceed.
We created an account, but the site asked us to re-enter everything—multiple times.
After entering company, address, and billing information for a third time, we tried to order by phone. An automated system said all representatives were busy and then disconnected.
We abandoned the purchase. This isn’t surprising since most consumers want easy access to online support and fast self-service options.
Don’t be like that company. Enable guest checkout, auto-fill addresses, support digital wallets, show a progress indicator, and save carts for later. Make help easy to find with live chat, a searchable help center, and clear escalation paths to humans.
Streamline navigation, simplify forms, and remove surprise fees. The less friction customers encounter, the less frustration they feel—and the more likely they are to complete the purchase.
Share your core values
Every company wants profits, but many also aspire to make a broader impact. If you have a mission beyond the sale, share it consistently and back it up with real actions.
Be explicit about your commitments—whether that’s sustainability, local sourcing, accessibility, or charitable giving. Show the “how,” not just the “what,” with measurable results.
For example, are you affiliated with any charities?
Values like these can spark meaningful emotion and strengthen brand preference. Here’s a past example from the Warby Parker website:
Warby Parker sells glasses, but it also runs a buy-a-pair, give-a-pair program that has donated millions of pairs to people around the world.
Not everyone can afford glasses or access exams. When brands help close that gap—and report progress transparently—customers feel proud to support them.
This kind of story attaches positive meaning to a purchase. When people know their order also helps someone in need, they’re more inclined to buy—and to tell friends about it.
Stimulate desires
What do people desire?
Think: great food, relaxing vacations, sleek cars, cozy homes—and the confidence and convenience that come with them. Desire grabs attention and makes benefits feel real.
Incorporate these ideas into your marketing strategy. You don’t need to claim your product will deliver a luxury car, but aspirational imagery and vivid descriptions can prime people to imagine a better version of themselves with your product in it.
Consider food advertising on TV: the camera slowly pans across a cheeseburger, juices glistening on the bun. The goal is sensory: make viewers hungry.
That’s desire at work. Use crisp visuals, concrete benefits, and social proof to make outcomes feel tangible—and keep claims accurate and supportable.
When craving meets credibility, people act.
Drive competitive energy
People are competitive by nature—at work, at the gym, and sometimes with the neighbors. Channel that energy in a positive way.
Apply this concept to your marketing campaigns by showing how customers can achieve a personal best, not just beat someone else.
For example, if you’re selling lawn care products, try: “Give your lawn pro-level stripes in 15 minutes.” It’s neighbor-friendly and focused on outcomes.
If you’re selling sports equipment, explain how your product gives a legitimate edge—better grip, lighter materials, faster recovery—without hype.
Here’s an example of how Nike used this strategy to promote basketball sneakers on its website.
They position the shoes as tools to help you dominate—short, punchy copy that matches the buyer’s mindset before a game.
Language like this taps the competitive spark and makes the purchase feel like an upgrade to performance, not just a style change.
Conclusion
Emotions are powerful—and they’re present in every stage of the buying journey.
Your job is to channel them responsibly. Use fear as urgency or risk reduction, and tap value-seeking instincts with fair, easy-to-grasp promotions.
Build trust with transparent policies, secure payments, and real social proof. Create belonging with community spaces and user-generated content that celebrates progress.
Remove frustration with smooth navigation, speedy checkout, and accessible support. Share your values and back them with measurable action.
Stimulate desire with vivid benefits and credible visuals, and harness healthy competitiveness by showing how customers can achieve their next milestone.
Put these principles to work consistently, and you’ll guide emotions in ways that increase conversions today—while building a brand people return to again and again.