Give them the Fun: The American Market Appreciates Indulgence

In some countries, like Russia, Portugal, Italy, China and India, restraint is not just a virtue, but a way of life. Generations are raised with the undercurrent that fun and enjoyment are excess or occasional gifts meant to spice up life - at least for the majority of the people who live there. In indulgent countries, like Mexico, Sweden, Australia, the UK, and the United States, fun is virtually viewed as a right.

If America was a person, she may not be the life of the party (that’s definitely Mexico), but she’s absolutely an extrovert. She likes a challenge and loves to work hard, but she also feels fulfilled with many kinds of friendships, some of which are casual and care-free, and struggles to thrive under systems with a need for too much discipline or self-control. While of course there is a spectrum of values in the population, the average American is more indulgent in nature than the majority of the world.

If you can understand this as a small business, maybe you can even learn to love, work with, and even mature it into a deeper version of itself. Online, Americans are often the connectors. They use the internet for the loose socialization they appreciate in reality and explore other countries and spaces frequently. They are quick and open to sharing fun information, trends, and humor.

Americans are less likely to judge your business for candidly expressing itself and more appreciative of direct, honest discussion. Their general ability to connect quickly also allows you to add variety to your marketing without too much fear of losing your audience. They are used to diversity and, in general, find fast ways to relate.

The ability to savor the pleasures in life is often preceded by an optimistic disposition. It may be hard to believe at times, but this is actually true of America. We are optimists. Even in the midst of struggle, we like partaking in joy, humor, and friendly comedy. No matter what your niche is, keep in mind all Americans want to have fun. It’s your job to find what’s fun for your market.

Uncertainty Accepting, an Underlying Current in your American Market

So far, I have touched on equality and independence, and now I will move the heuristic discussion on to the metric of Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI). If you want to dive deeper into the psychology of different markets, I learned the majority of these topics from The Web Psychologist, Nathalie Nahai. You can find her website here.

Despite what the media may have us believing, the USA (as a whole) actually ranks pretty high in our willingness to accept uncertainty. This makes sense because we are, after all, a nation of immigrants with a higher genetic propensity for dopamine seeking behavior (see The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long). We appreciate flexibility, innovation, the entrepreneurial spirit, and we tend to turn our nose up at rigidity in institutions, laws, or structures. In practical terms this means we like websites and platforms where we can explore (think Reddit and search bars). We also like to interact with information how we please, instead of being forced to approach a brand in one way. Give your audience at least a couple of options, such as blogs, YouTube, podcasts, social media, or websites.

As a small business, you don’t have to do everything, but the American market appreciates the ability to dive deeper when their interest is peaked, so make sure at least one of your offerings gives them the ability to do that in some way. It can be relational (getting to know you or your business more intimately) or more complex insights into ideas (educational blogs or videos for example) or both!

How Independence Shapes Your Market

It’s no secret Americans value independence. We were born from the idea of personal freedom, after all. Internationally, we rank the highest - just above Australia- in how strongly we prize autonomy, and we form our identity around the individual, rather than the community. If your customer base is American (or maybe Australian), then, it is critical to acknowledge the idea of independence as a foundational orientation in your marketing strategy.

People in America are expected to have enough freedom and equality (as I mentioned in my last blog) to take care of themselves. The onus is largely on the individual to be self-sufficient and find a way to meet their needs. With that also comes an expectation for sovereignty over one’s own life (and time). We value personal time, privacy, and the ability to travel. Because we place less emphasis on communal ties, we tend to be riskier and are often motivated by things that benefit us as an individual. This explains a higher level of competitiveness and adventure, a tendency towards tangible or visible expressions of achievement, a love of the rebel spirit, and the desire to feel unique. We like things that make us look and feel good as an individual (though there is a high level of variance in what those things are).

The American tendency towards independence works well for all small businesses in the sense that there is always a market for what you are selling out there. It can also present challenges—if your brand involves encouraging people to ask for help or sacrifice personal time for the community, for instance. Like any good therapist, though, it’s important to meet the client where they are. Speak the language they understand and relate to first, understand this coding drives their decision-making, and open them up to different ways of being as you build a relationship with them. You’ve got this, you self-sufficient rebel.

What does it really mean to engage your customer?

Have you ever thought of what the actual definition of “engagement”is? The term has range. It can signify anything from betrothal to military combat, and for somebody who owns or works with small businesses (outside of the wedding world), it probably brings to mind social media and marketing metrics. One thing that is true across the board, though, is that engagement signifies another level of commitment. It’s something we use to acknowledge the presence of a deeper level of intimacy or relationship. We move from being separate entities in our own little worlds, to interacting with one another in some way.

What does this mean for marketing? There was a time when businesses were able to get in front of their customer with the service they provide and do great work. That was enough. Today, the quality of your work still matters, word of mouth still works, AND people have access to infinite options. The spaces they keep coming back to are the ones that are committed to them as people and interested in building a multi-faceted relationship. Nobody wants to hang out with that one friend who only shows up to the barbecue to sell everybody their latest batch of essential oils. Engaging your customer means showing them you are committed to a relationship with them and earning the right for them to return the favor. How can you do that with your brand?

The Emotional Brain: Connecting to Your Market is Good for You and Your Business

Connecting emotionally is an important way you can build a relationship with the people you serve with your small business services and products. Forming this relationship not only makes their experience more fulfilling, but it also helps to keep you attached to the purpose of your work. That’s because the best ways to connect emotionally with your audience is to show people experiencing authentic emotions that trigger mirror neurons for those observing them or to tell a story.

Finding ways to hone in on genuine experiences to share or tracing a story from the work you do lets people in on why what you do matters, and if you are like most small business owners, it also gives you a breath of fresh air and reminds you of why all those tasks that are piling up in the notes section of your phone are actually for.

Help your Audience Make Decisions: Reframing Scarcity in Marketing with Positive Urgency

You’ve seen scarcity used on every platform. We all have. Hell, we have even used it! “One day sale” and “Only 3 available” or even the idea of an early bird window all pull on this marketing tactic. Based on our previous chats, you may guess this is useful because it targets the primal brain. In ethical marketing, though, the goal is not to manipulate the audience, but to serve them as best you can. When it comes to using scarcity, then, we need to orient ourselves around positive urgency rather than fear tactics.

It should go without saying, but deadlines and numbers should be honest and practical. What are the deadlines you actually need for the backend work? How many products are actually available? We also need to recognize that humans were designed to be seasonal creatures, rather than having nearly everything available all at once.

Our world now has so many options, 24/7. It can actually be helpful, then, for businesses to create some windows of services and remove some of the decision-fatigue of daily life. In turn, this also creates demand for your customers when those windows are open. If it’s a seasonal event or product, for instance, they begin to look forward to it; and, if you do it with intention, it helps to create rhythm in their lives and in your community. Take a look at your business and look for areas where you can benefit your client with rhythms and positive urgency.

Feeding your Audience: Serve your Customers a Three Course Meal with Marketing

Let’s imagine you’ve been gifted a free meal with your favorite person. You have been given two options: a fine dining experience at a new fancy restaurant with several courses or, alternatively, two combos at your favorite fast food place. Play out both of those options in your mind. Which one makes you feel more fully nourished?

I’d bet that while you might have a great time eating with good people at Chipotle, the fine dining experience likely seems more appealing overall. Part of the reason this may be true is that the fine dining option stimulates several areas of our brains. It’s new, which sparks our attention. The person we are with is safe and the thought of being with them and experiencing something new together stirs up the emotional parts of our brains. And lastly, the idea of dining at a fancy restaurant brings with it the possibility for higher levels of learning. It makes us feel a little curious about what we may discover about food itself.

Attention, Emotion, and Cognitive Curiosity. These are the three aspects of the human brain that want to be fed well. As a small business, recognize that each component has its value and use good marketing to serve your customers up a three course meal they will appreciate and remember.