Knowing how customers behave when faced with everyday challenges, store windows, offers, and everything else that involves decision-making is essential for mapping out the best marketing strategies. Do you know why?
The answer is simple: by understanding how consumers react in certain situations, you can predict their choices and use that to a brand’s advantage. That way, you attract more customers and build greater customer loyalty.
That’s why we’ve picked five books on consumer behavior that show how consumers influence, and are influenced by, today’s retail and market innovations. Keep reading, and don’t miss the bonus tips at the end!
1. Marketing 4.0
In this book, consultant, professor, and marketing “guru” Philip Kotler covers everything important that has happened in marketing over the last 50 years. It’s a practical guide that helps professionals in the field change the way they think.
According to the author, the term “Marketing 4.0” (which gave the book its title) refers to the ongoing digital revolution. Even though this transformation benefits digital marketing, the traditional strategy, focused on TV and print, will remain active.
So the big challenge for brands will be to combine the two in a way that engages audiences, who are increasingly short on time, and achieves the desired success.
2. Buyology
In this book, Martin Lindstrom explores the use of psychology in marketing, that is, neuromarketing. Drawing on research findings, he explains why consumers choose one brand over another.
The author analyzed the brain’s reactions using technological devices and concluded that most decisions are made unconsciously. Lindstrom also found that external factors such as visuals, sound, and smell contribute to the persuasion process and keep the brand in the consumer’s memory.
3. Consumer.ology
Drawing on his expertise in consumer behavior and psychology, journalist Philip Graves discusses the importance of studying consumers in their “natural habitat,” such as malls and supermarkets. To do that, you need to put yourself in their shoes and understand how they make decisions, then use that to your company’s advantage.
The book also uses neuromarketing to show how external influences relate to the subconscious in the audience’s final decisions.
4. The Soul of the New Consumer
The arrival of the internet has changed the way consumers behave today, right? This book addresses precisely this evolution in consumption, leading readers to ask whether their work has kept pace with it and is ready to handle the speed of the online world.
Authors David Lewis and Darren Bridges discuss the differences in consumer behavior before and after the internet and e-commerce went mainstream. They explain how today’s generation makes a point of researching products before buying and what drives their choices.
The book also discusses the importance of a brand offering the “something extra” that consumers are always looking for, as well as authenticity and a commitment to telling a story.
5. How to Build Habit-Forming Products
Written by Israeli author Nir Eyal, this book is not yet available in Portuguese. In it, the author sets out to explain how and why some products win over the public, addressing user experience and content marketing, and exploring the factors that make products successful.
In this read, you’ll see that some companies manage to turn the consumption of their products into a habit in people’s lives, as with shoppers who always buy the same brand of soda without even glancing at the other options on the shelf. Over time, this creates a huge competitive advantage in the market.
Bonus: websites, channels, and events
Books are great sources of knowledge, no doubt about it. But mixing up the materials you consult can also be very worthwhile. Below, we’ve rounded up events, websites, and YouTube channels that will add even more to your studies.
Consumidor moderno
Consumidor Moderno, which also publishes a magazine of the same name, offers a wealth of content on innovation, technology, studies, research, experience, consumer behavior, and consumer protection.
No Varejo
The website of No Varejo magazine is a great source of tips on management, sales, finance, innovation, e-commerce, distribution, design, and behavior. It also brings together the market’s top trends and best practices.
Sebrae
Sebrae’s channel produces a variety of videos on entrepreneurship education, business guidance, and success stories. The goal is to help entrepreneurs manage their businesses and achieve the best results.
Endeavor Brasil
On the Endeavor Brasil channel, entrepreneurs and startups will find answers to their main questions about management, strategic planning, marketing, finance, and growth. It also features success stories that will inspire you.
Euroshop
The largest international retail trade fair takes place every three years in selected cities across Europe. Its purpose is to be a true engine of new ideas, solutions, innovations, and business, as well as a great place to expand your network.
National Retail Federation (NRF)
This retail convention (the largest in the world) takes place in New York. It analyzes and forecasts market trends. Recent editions of the event have focused on technological innovation and putting people first, highlighting the importance of using technology to bring consumers even closer emotionally rather than pushing them away.
As we’ve seen, books on consumer behavior are essential to sales success, because they’re the only way to understand how consumers think and the best way to attract them. Be sure to read the five books mentioned — and take advantage of the other sources of knowledge in our bonus tips!
Did you enjoy learning how important it is to understand consumer behavior and where to research the subject to improve your business performance and boost your sales? Then be sure to follow us on social media: you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Vimeo!
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