The in-group bias is the tendency for people to favor and show loyalty towards their own group or community.
Here are some ways to leverage in-group bias in marketing, sales, branding, design & advertising:
1. Community Building
By building a sense of community around your brand, you can leverage in-group bias to increase customer loyalty and engagement.
Example: A fitness brand that hosts regular meet-ups and events for their customers to foster a sense of community.
How to use it: Build a sense of community around your brand by hosting events or creating online groups for customers to interact and engage with each other.
2. Personalized & Exclusive Communications
By personalizing your communications with customers, you can make them feel like they are a part of an exclusive group and leverage in-group bias to increase loyalty.
Example: A subscription box service that sends personalized product recommendations to their subscribers.
How to use it: Personalize your communications with customers to make them feel like they are a part of an exclusive group and leverage in-group bias to increase loyalty.
3. Invite Only Referral Programs
By offering referral programs, you can leverage in-group bias by encouraging customers to bring their friends and family into the “in-group” of your brand.
Example: A beauty brand that offers a discount to customers for every friend they refer to the brand.
How to use it: Offer referral programs to leverage in-group bias by encouraging customers to bring their friends and family into the “in-group” of your brand.
4. Give Insider Access and Perks
By offering insider access and perks to your most loyal customers, you can leverage in-group bias by making them feel like they are part of an exclusive group.
Example: A hotel chain that offers a loyalty program with perks such as early check-in and room upgrades for their most frequent guests.
How to use it: Offer insider access and perks to your most loyal customers to leverage in-group bias by making them feel like they are part of an exclusive group.
5. Social Media Groups and Communities
By creating social media groups or communities specifically for your customers, you can leverage in-group bias by fostering a sense of community and exclusivity.
Example: A coffee shop chain that creates a Facebook group for their most loyal customers to share recommendations and discuss the latest menu items.
How to use it: Create social media groups or communities specifically for your customers to leverage in-group bias by fostering a sense of community and exclusivity.
6. User-Generated Content
By encouraging your customers to share their experiences and connect with each other, you can create a sense of belonging and connection within your customer base.
Example: A food delivery service using hashtags and hosting social media challenges to encourage customers to share their meals and connect with each other
How to use: Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your brand and connect with each other through user-generated content and social media interactions.
7. Working With Specific Influencers
By partnering with influencers who have a strong following and are perceived as being part of a certain group or lifestyle, you can create a sense of in-group membership for your brand.
Example: A travel company creating a private Facebook group for customers who have booked trips through their company. The group serves as a platform for customers to share their travel plans, ask for recommendations, and connect with each other before and after their trips.
How to use: Consider creating a private social media group or forum for your customers to share their experiences and connect with each other. Encourage participation by regularly posting prompts, hosting Q&A sessions with industry experts, and offering exclusive promotions or experiences for group members.
Some cognitive biases that are similar to in-group bias include:
Groupthink: The tendency for people to conform to the opinions and attitudes of a group, even if those opinions and attitudes are not in their best interest.
Bandwagon effect: The tendency for people to do or believe something because they think others are doing or believing it.
Social influence: The influence that the actions or behaviors of others have on an individual.
Citations
Fennis, Bob M., et al. “The Role of In-Group Bias in Persuasion.” Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 53, no. 3, 2016, pp. 365-379.
URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24469752?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
“The Role of Social Influencers in Marketing: A Review and Research Agenda” by M. K. Gaur and S. Joshi, published in the Journal of Marketing Management, 2018. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267257X.2018.1456793
“The Impact of Customer Segmentation on Marketing Strategy: An Exploratory Study” by S. K. Chaudhary and R. Bhatnagar, published in the International Journal of Marketing, Communication and New Media, 2017. URL: https://www.mcser.org/journal/index.php/ijmcnm/article/view/1776
“The Impact of User-Generated Content on Purchase Intentions: The Moderating Role of Trust” by D. Kim and Y. Ko, published in the Journal of Business Research, 2018. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296317307750
“The Impact of Referral Programs on Customer Loyalty: An Exploratory Study” by S. K. Chaudhary and R. Bhatnagar, published in the Journal of Marketing Management, 2017. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267257X.2017.1365767
“The Role of Social Media in Customer Relationship Management: A Review and Research Agenda” by M. K. Gaur and S. Joshi, published in the Journal of Marketing Management, 2019. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267257X.2019.1581249
Yoon, Sung-Hee, and Jaeyoung Kim. “The Role of In-Group Bias and Online Community Identification in Social Media Marketing.” International Journal of Information Management, vol. 46, 2018, pp. 1-9.
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401217301917
