From Psychology to Marketing: Understanding Human Behaviour

Powerful marketing strategies and techniques are built on psychological principles, they require observation and understanding human behaviour in order to influence and resonate with potential customers. Marketers need to understand who the customer is, what they want, and what influences them to make a purchase. This strong understanding of behaviour is based on the driving psychological theories within marketing. 
 

Marketing industry snapshot

The marketing industry sees an annual growth rate of 2.2% per annum, along with an additional 30,000 positions opening each year across all different industries around Australia. Typically, marketing roles require both analytical and creative skills. Versatile and expansive with growing opportunities, the field of marketing is a great industry choice for individuals interested in consumer psychology who possess strong problem-solving skills. 
 

How is psychology used in marketing?

Marketing strategies and campaigns aim to reach consumers at specific points in their consumer journey, with tailored messaging to match their needs and guide them through the sales funnel to eventually convert into a purchase. 

The success of marketing efforts largely relies on a marketer’s ability to understand consumer needs and barriers and implement a strategy that aligns with these, in order to meet larger business goals. 

A few areas with marketing that demand a psychological understanding are:

• researching and data analysis skills: uncovering key patterns and applying critical thinking to deduct important results on consumer behaviour trends
• communication and interpersonal skills: relating to the customer and building appropriate and appealing messaging
• a deep understanding of human behaviour - building accurate audience profiles and driving tailored messaging through thoughtful campaigns. 
   

Marketing and consumer psychology career paths

Career opportunities for those in marketing are incredibly diverse, especially for those who have a background in psychology. A marketing manager in Australia will earn up to $121K and is considered vital to a strong business strategy and long term growth. The marketing field has many different specialisations that all require a deep understanding of psychological thinking and behaviour. 

Whilst the opportunities are vast, some key psychology marketing positions include:

Market Research Analyst: Market research analysts work to evaluate market data and present key insights on demographics and economic decisions to increase sales. It is a technical role that determines key business findings. 

Public Relations Specialist: A public relations specialist will work to maintain a company’s reputation by writing press releases and communicating with the media and public. With a background in psychology, this role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to persuade public opinion. 

Consumer Psychologist: Consumer psychology is the specialty area within marketing that analyses how the decision-making process, motivations and social persuasions will influence customers’ purchase behaviour. Read our guide on how to become a psychologist to take the first step in your career
 

If you are interested in diversifying your understanding of psychology to improve your marketing strategies, our APAC accredited Graduate Diploma in Psychology can teach you a deeper understanding of human behaviour. 

To be eligible for the Graduate Diploma in Psychology with The University of Adelaide, you will need an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, so it doesn’t matter if you have no prior background in psychology. To find out more about the entry requirements, speak to one of our enrolment advisors on 1300 294 092 or book in a call today.

Discover how a marketing psychology career path can open unexpected doors and bring you a fulfilling career.