marketing-psychology

Identify the specific behavior you want to influence, then apply relevant models like Hick's Law to reduce choices, Activation Energy to lower starting friction, and the BJ Fogg Behavior Model to ensure motivation, ability, and prompts are all present. The skill maps common challenges to applicable models.

Key pricing models include Anchoring (show higher prices first), Charm Pricing ($99 vs $100), the Rule of 100 (percentage discounts under $100, absolute discounts over), Mental Accounting ($1/day vs $30/month), and Good-Better-Best tiering to make your target plan look reasonable.

Retention-focused models include the Endowment Effect (ownership increases value), Switching Costs (integrations and data accumulation), Status-Quo Bias (make staying the default), and the IKEA Effect (let customers invest effort in customization). Apply these ethically to build genuine retention.

Yes, but only when the scarcity is genuine. The skill explicitly notes that limited-time offers, low-stock warnings, and exclusive access should reflect real constraints. Fake urgency damages trust and can trigger the Cobra Effect where incentives backfire.

Loss aversion means losses feel roughly twice as painful as equivalent gains, so 'don't miss out' outperforms 'you could gain.' Framing is broader: how you present identical facts changes perception, like '90% success rate' versus '10% failure rate.'

Avoid over-applying models when you lack real customer data. The Map ≠ Territory model warns that frameworks represent reality but aren't reality itself. Test hypotheses with actual users through A/B tests and interviews before committing budget.