As a marketing or sales professional, you have a choice in how you message your company and its offerings, with the goal of driving favorable responses (e.g. opt-ins) and purchases. And while many permutations are possible, there are two primary motivators of human behavior: gain and pain. Gain: People take action because they want a gain of some sort. Pain: On the other side of the same coin, pain is a huge motivator. it’s up to you to learn about your prospect’s world – and test, inquire and improve until you find the unique triggers — positive or negative — that produce the desired result. Fusion Marketing Partners (FMP) is a B2B marketing agency that specializes in helping companies create powerful lead-to-revenue machines to turn around their stalled or under-performing marketing and sales operations and build value in their business. FMP’s strategic expertise and vigorous execution of proven tactics has quickly driven measurable improvements in awareness, leads and revenue for B2B clients across the U.S. and internationally. The company was founded by principals with deep experience in B2B marketing, sales, business development, web marketing, and public relations — from successful startups to Silicon Valley giants. To find out more, visit http://www.fusionmarketingpartners.com.

1. Are You Marketing to Gain or Pain?
By Christopher Ryan, CEO
Fusion Marketing Partners
“The psychological fear of losing
something or experiencing pain
is twice as strong as the
potential to gain
or improve something.”

2. Motivators of Human Behavior
As a marketing or sales
professional, you have a
choice in how you
message your company
and its offerings, with the
goal of driving favorable
responses (e.g. opt-ins)
and purchases.
There are two primary
motivators of human
behavior:
• gain
• pain

3. Gain Examples
• Generate more revenue
• Increase profits
• Achieve department or
company goals
• Get promoted
• Gain salary increase
• Obtain Job security
• Find fulfillment/job
satisfaction
• Happiness
• Personal knowledge
• Gain recognition/statusSome of these “gain” terms are
business-oriented and others appeal
to the personal motivations of your
prospects.

4. Pain
On the other side of the
same coin…
pain is a huge
motivator.
Pain avoidance drives
people to purchase
products and services
as varied as aspirin and
enterprise software.

5. • Lower costs
• Improve efficiencies
• Reduce waste
• Work fewer hours
• Decrease turnover
• Get your boss off your
back
• Avoid termination
• Achieve fewer
cancellations
• Avoid harm
Pain Examples

6. Target your Message Effectively
Both the pain and
gain motivators can
lead to the same
place (e.g. your CX
solution)…
Where is the traffic
coming from and
which type of
search converts in
greater numbers?
When you combine this data with relevant
gain and pain messaging, you can really
target your message effectively.
BUT

7. The Psychology of Action
I read a fascinating paper
about this subject
recently called The
Psychology of
Action produced by Ceros
and MarketingProfs.
One of the paper’s most
startling and interesting
points is this:
“The psychological fear of
losing something or
experiencing pain is twice
as strong as the potential
to gain or improve
something.”

8. Messaging Pain Avoidance
…the urge to avoid having
a leg amputated…
…is a stronger motivation
than to have your legs
work better…

9. What Drives Your Prospects
1st: ask them what
motivated them to talk to
you in the first place
and/or to make a
purchase (or not
purchase!).
2nd: conduct online
research to determine
what search terms people
are using to find you and
your competitors.
For example: two different search terms can lead to
the same type of product in the customer experience (CX) industry:
“Stop customer churn” (pain) “Boost client retention” (gain)

10. Find those Triggers
Learn about your
prospect’s world – and
• Test
• Inquire
• Improve
until you find the
unique triggers —
positive or negative —
that produce the
desired result.

11. About Fusion Marketing Partners
Christopher Ryan, CEO
We Do This:
 Brand building/messaging
 Website optimization
 Content creation
 Lead Generation
You Get This:
 Much greater levels of awareness
 Higher quantities of qualified leads
 Ability to generate faster revenue
Lots more information at:
http://FusionMarketingPartners.com/
http://Greatb2BMarketing.com (blog)
info@fusionmarketingpartners.com
719-357-6280