How MENA Consumers Decide What to Buy: Emotional Purchase Decisions
When it comes to making purchase decisions, emotions play a significant role, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
According to research by Google and Kantar, 77% of consumers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia turn to Google Search as their first point of contact when they’re exploring their options.
With so much information available online, it’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed. They want to be sure they’re making the right choice before hitting that ‘buy’ button.
Let’s understand how emotions drive purchase decisions and how brands can effectively engage with consumers in the MENA region, with some extra tips on how a digital marketing agency can help brands manage these emotional purchase decisions.
The Emotional Rollercoaster of Shopping
Shopping isn’t just about picking out products; it’s a journey full of emotional highs and lows. Consumers in MENA experience a wide range of emotions throughout their purchasing journey.
From excitement and anticipation to doubt and frustration, these emotions influence their decisions.
Key Emotional Moments:
Curiosity and Excitement: The initial search for information is often driven by curiosity. Consumers are excited to explore their options and see what’s available.
Doubt and Confusion: With so many choices and so much information, consumers may feel overwhelmed. They start questioning which option is the best, which can lead to doubt and confusion.
Reassurance and Trust: As they narrow down their choices, consumers seek reassurance. They want to feel confident in their decision and trust the brands they choose.
Satisfaction and Relief: After making an emotional purchase, consumers experience relief and satisfaction if they believe they made the right choice.
How to Guide Consumers Through Emotional Purchase Decision
Navigating the path to purchase can be a rollercoaster of emotions, which is what makes it an emotional purchase. Let’s look at the real-world example from Googole’s study to understand how brands can effectively guide consumers through their emotional journey and help them make confident buying decisions.
Case Study: Laveena’s Journey
Laveena, a Gen X woman, was anxious about her hair loss. After discussing it with family, which only added to her confusion, she turned to Google Search. This marked the start of her purchase journey.
Trigger Phase: Laveena’s initial search, “Why is this happening?” marked the beginning of her quest for answers. At this stage, she felt hopeful but quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.
Explore Phase: As she explored various options, her confusion deepened. The vast amount of information led to doubts about what was trustworthy.
Evaluate Phase: In the ‘messy middle,’ Laveena oscillated between exploring and evaluating different solutions. She resolved her emotional tension by continuously seeking answers through Google Search until she felt confident enough to make a decision.
Finally, she chose a shampoo she thought would help, making an emotional purchase. Even after purchasing, she remained anxious until she saw results, which ultimately led to her satisfaction.
3 Ways Brands Can Support Consumers Like Laveena
Consumers like Laveena go through several emotional stages when deciding to make a purchase. Brands can help them navigate these stages effectively in 3 ways:
1. Build Trust Through Clarity
What to Do: Provide clear and concise information about your products or services. Be upfront about what you offer and how it addresses the consumer’s problem.
Why It Matters: Consumers need to trust that they’re making the right choice. Seventy percent of surveyed consumers say that trust in a brand is crucial for their purchase decision. Accurate, straightforward information helps build this trust.
Actionable Tip: Use detailed product descriptions, transparent pricing, and clear explanations of how your product solves specific problems. Avoid jargon and ensure your information is easy to understand.
2. Be Present During Key Emotional Moments
What to Do: Position your brand where consumers are actively seeking answers, particularly between the ‘exploration’ and ‘evaluation’ stages.
Why It Matters: At this point, consumers are most engaged in researching and comparing options. Providing helpful, reassuring information during this phase can guide them toward making a decision.
Actionable Tip: Create content that addresses common questions and concerns. This could be through blog posts, comparison guides, or FAQ sections. Ensure your content is readily accessible when consumers are searching for answers.
3. Empower Consumers to Make Confident Decisions
What to Do: Help consumers feel empowered by highlighting the benefits of your product or service and how it addresses their needs.
Why It Matters: With so many choices available, 41% of people in MENA find it harder to make a decision than they did five years ago. Brands that provide clear benefits and reassurance can help consumers feel more confident.
Actionable Tip: Remind consumers of the advantages your product offers and how it can solve their specific problems. Use customer testimonials, success stories, and guarantees to reinforce confidence.
3 Ways a Digital Marketing Agency Can Help Manage Emotional Purchase Decisions
Digital marketing agencies play a pivotal role in helping brands understand and address these emotional touchpoints we talked about effectively. Here’s how a digital marketing agency can help brands manage and leverage emotional purchase decisions:
1. Crafting Clear and Trustworthy Content
Digital marketing agencies specialize in creating content that resonates with consumers. They ensure that the messaging is clear, accurate, and addresses potential customer concerns directly. This clear and reliable information builds consumer trust. When brands are straightforward and truthful with their content, they can reduce the uncertainty consumers may feel.
A digital marketing agency can use their expertise to craft messages that simplify complex information, making it easier for consumers to understand how a product or service meets their needs.
You can partner with a digital marketing agency to develop content strategies that include detailed product descriptions, FAQs, and comparison guides. Ensure your content addresses common emotional concerns and provides reassurance.
2. Targeting Key Emotional Moments
Agencies use data and analytics to identify critical touchpoints in the consumer journey, particularly between the ‘exploration’ and ‘evaluation’ phases. They create strategies to target these moments with relevant content and ads.
By focusing on these crucial stages, agencies can deliver timely, helpful information that guides consumers as they research and evaluate options.
Targeted content helps consumers navigate their emotional tensions by providing the answers they need at the right time, making their decision-making process smoother.
Work with an agency to design campaigns that target key phases of the consumer journey. Use retargeting and personalized messaging to address specific concerns and provide valuable insights when consumers are most engaged.
3. Building Confidence Through Strategic Reassurance
Agencies implement strategies that emphasize the benefits of products or services, using testimonials, case studies and guarantees to build consumer confidence.
Highlighting success stories and providing clear assurances help consumers feel confident about their choices, addressing their emotional uncertainties.
Reassuring messages and proof of effectiveness can nudge consumers from indecision to action, making them more likely to complete an emotional purchase.
Scarlet Marketing Consultancy Team is at your service during weekdays 9.00-18.00 GST.
Feel free to connect with us at +971526998809 or via [email protected] for international/local projects
Leave a Comment