Developed by the UK government’s Behavioural Insights Team, MINDSPACE outlines nine powerful drivers of human behaviour:

• Messenger – Who delivers the message is often more important than the message itself.
• Incentives – We respond more to avoiding losses than gaining equivalent rewards.
• Norms – People follow the herd. Show them what others are doing.
• Defaults – We stick with the pre-selected option. Set it up correctly.
• Salience – We focus on what stands out. Make key messages impossible to ignore.
• Priming – Subtle cues influence decisions without people realising it.
• Affect – Emotions drive action more than logic.
• Commitments – When people make a public commitment, they’re more likely to follow through.
• Ego – People act in ways that reinforce a positive self-image.

If you want people to act, make it Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely:

• Easy – Reduce friction. Remove unnecessary steps in your conversion funnel.
• Attractive – Use bold visuals, compelling offers, and incentives that make taking action appealing.
• Social – Show that others are doing it. Social proof is a powerful force.
• Timely – Hit people with the right message at the moment they’re most likely to act.

Stanford researcher BJ Fogg’s Behaviour = Motivation × Ability × Prompt model explains why people take action:

• Motivation – Do they want to do it?
• Ability – Can they do it easily?
• Prompt – Are they being nudged at the right moment?

If a behaviour isn’t happening, one of these three is missing. Fix that, and you unlock action.

Most marketing gets ignored. Why? Because it looks and sounds exactly like everything else. That’s where the Von Restorff Effect comes in. It’s simple: when something stands out, people remember it. If your pricing page is a sea of dull grey boxes, and one is bright red with a “Most Popular” tag, guess which one gets the clicks? If your email subject line is just another bland corporate cliché, but one jumps out with a strikingly different tone, guess which one gets opened? This isn’t creativity for the sake of it—it’s psychology. When you break the pattern, you break through. And in a world drowning in noise, standing out isn’t just an advantage; it’s survival.

Social proof is one of the most powerful psychological triggers in marketing—because people trust other people more than they trust brands. When potential guests see glowing Google reviews, they’re not just reading opinions; they’re getting reassurance that your hotel is worth their money. A high star rating, positive guest experiences, and real testimonials reduce uncertainty and nudge people toward booking. After all, if dozens of others had a fantastic stay, why wouldn’t they? In a competitive market like Singapore’s, leveraging social proof isn’t just smart—it’s essential.

Scarcity is a sales driver because people want what they think they might miss out on. When a hotel room is marked as “Only 2 left at this price!” or “High demand – book now,” it triggers a psychological urgency to act fast. No one wants to lose out on a great deal or risk not getting a room at their preferred hotel. By highlighting limited availability or exclusive offers, you’re not just providing information—you’re pushing potential guests off the fence and into a booking. In a city like Singapore, where top hotels fill up quickly, scarcity isn’t just a tactic; it’s a reality.

Urgency turns hesitation into action. When an online course has a countdown timer for enrollment or a “Last chance to join!” message, it pushes potential students to commit before it’s too late. Without urgency, people procrastinate—telling themselves they’ll sign up “later,” which often means never. But when there’s a clear deadline, the fear of missing out kicks in, and suddenly, that decision moves to the top of their priority list. For online courses, urgency isn’t just about filling seats—it’s about driving commitment and momentum.