This document discusses three psychological tactics to boost sales: 1. Test pricing and defaults - Testing different prices and default options can increase profits by directing customers towards more lucrative choices without them realizing. 2. Identify cognitive shortcuts - People develop assumptions that can be manipulated, like associating expensive items with quality. Tests should identify where visitors make mistakes to steer them towards purchases. 3. Change perception if problems can't be fixed - Surveying customers reveals objections that may be hard to address. Instead, reframe objections as advantages to improve perceptions. Testing is key to determining the most effective strategies.

1. PERSUASION
Three Surefire Psychological
Tactics To Boost Your Sales
Stephen Pavlovich

2. Large increases in revenue
from conversion rate
optimisation

3. One test added over £100m/yr
Large increases in revenue
from conversion rate
optimisation

4. Persuasion isn’t new

5. The media are new
The ability to test is new
Persuasion isn’t new

6. We can take inspiration
from many sources
– not just online

7. perpetualplum [photo]Matt

8. PERSUASION
Over-simplified

10. People develop
cognitive shortcuts –
assumptions

11. These can be manipulated
People develop
cognitive shortcuts –
assumptions

12. Expensive Good
mrapplegate

13. Expensive Good
iujaz

14. mrapplegate

15. “Reassuringly Expensive”
mrapplegate

16. “How do you increase sales?”
Alexisol

17. A: Put the price up
Alexisol

18. 1.
TEST PRICING

19. 1. TEST PRICING
 If you can, test pricing
 Fewer sales can mean bigger profit
 It’s easier if you:
 use landing pages (not large sites)
 sell a unique product
 have a forgiving developer

20. How usability affects
influence

24. http://wiki.darkpatterns.org

25. http://wiki.darkpatterns.org

26. http://wiki.darkpatterns.org

27. 2.
TEST “DEFAULTS”

28. 2. TEST DEFAULTS
 Usability tests will show you how
visitors use your website (eg
whatusersdo.com)
 What mistakes do they make?
 How can you fix them?
(Can you use them for evil?)

29. Identify your bad
points

30. Dave John
planetina

31. “Sometimes,
John can be a
little difficult to
get along with.”
Dave John
planetina

32. Dave John
planetina

33. Identify objections
Dave John
+ enhance credibility
planetina

35. “Where’s the free trial?”

36. Instead of a free trial, we
include an “automatic
moneyback guarantee”…
“Where’s the free trial?”

40. 3.
IF YOU CAN’T FIX IT,
CHANGE PERCEPTION

41. DAMAGING ADMISSIONS
 Survey your visitors and customers
 Find out why they wouldn’t (nearly
didn’t) buy from you
 If you can, fix it (and test it)
 If you can’t, turn it into an advantage

42. ANY QUESTIONS?
Stephen Pavlovich
Conversion Factory