Attention = Desire x Tension
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter of desire. Norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter of tension. Together they add up to attention.
Tension is the struggle between what you have and what you don’t. This type of low-level conflict often leads to action.
“Here’s a 30% discount on your favourite gadget. but hurry the offer ends tonight”
Tension creates consequences and therefore importance.
And this often leads to action.
And action leads to trust. When you invest your energy into something, you follow through with it – Sunk Cost Fallacy
The low-hanging fruit most commonly used by marketers to create tension is FOMO.
Even when there is no deliberate marketing intervention to create tension, tension naturally exists before you sign up for an online course, buy a laptop, hire a professional or even commit to a relationship.
The tension comes from fear.
- Fear of missing out
- Fear of sounding dumb
- Fear of paying too much
- Fear of uncertainty
- Fear of social interaction
Marketers can introduce tension with:
- Novelty
- Scarcity
- Deadline
- Humour
- Promise of change in state and status
This push-pull pattern of desire and tension is a delicate balance. Push it too far and it could escalate into a conflict or push the potential customer further away
