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Catherine Riley

Drive Sales with Nudge Marketing (Examples, Ideas, and Tips)

Updated: Sep 20, 2023

for eCommerce and the Service Industry


What does 'nudge marketing; mean? And how can you use it to better engage your customers and drive more sales in your store? If you're looking for some nudges of your own, then read on!



nudge marketing ideas

What is Nudge Marketing?

Nudge marketing is a form of marketing where you use subtle suggestions to encourage people to do something. It's a way of influencing your customers without being too pushy or overbearing.


Not only can nudging help you get to drive more sales, but it can also increase the quality and value of those sales. The best part about nudges is that they're not intrusive; instead, they are small, everyday suggestions that are easy for people to ignore—but if they want them badly enough, then they will take action on these helpful hints!


Nudges have been used by advertisers for decades now as part of their overall strategy for getting new customers through the door (or onto their website). In fact, most companies already use some type of persuasion technique in their advertisements and other marketing materials—but not all methods are created equal when it comes down to actually making money off those ads! If done right though, you'll be able to generate higher return on investment.


Nudge Marketing Effect on Sales: Why It Works

The word "nudge" comes from the fact that marketers need to be careful not to push people too hard into doing something they don't want to do. Nudging is about creating micro-interactions on your website or in your app that helps guide people toward a desired action. These nudges can take many forms, but they're all optimized to get users closer to making a decision rather than giving up and going away.


Nudge Marketing Examples:

  • For instance, if you're trying to get customers onto another page on your site (a purchase page for example), you might add an exit-intent popup window at the top of each page on your site with a message like: "You've been here for X minutes—are you looking for something?" This approach is more likely than telling them directly where they should go next.

  • Similarly, if someone has visited several pages in succession without purchasing anything but seems engaged with what they're looking at, you might add a message encouraging them along their path toward conversion with words like: "We think these items are perfect for what you're shopping for." This type of nudge doesn't come across as pushy because it gives people options while still guiding them down the path toward making a purchase decision themselves.

How to Drive More Sales with Nudge Marketing

Nudge marketing is a powerful tool for influencing customer behavior. It's an emerging discipline that uses behavioral science to guide people toward better choices.

  • As mentioned, the best nudges are subtle, low-cost interventions—like a website banner or an email pop-up—that influence people to make better decisions.

  • Nudge Marketing occurs when you promote your product or service in ways that encourage customers to add items to their cart or book your services.


woman standing against deck

Nudge Marketing Examples for the Service Industry

If you run a service-based business, such as consulting or an agency, it can be difficult to grow your sales. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t use Nudge Marketing to grow your sales and attract more clients. In fact, there are some great examples of how to use Nudge Marketing in the services industry. Here are just a few examples:

  • Sending a personalized follow-up email after a client consultation, reminding them of the services you discussed, and offering a special promotion to book within the next 48 hours.

  • Creating a sense of scarcity by offering a limited-time discount on a particular service, encouraging clients to take action before the offer expires.

  • Using social proof, such as testimonials or case studies, to show potential clients the success of your services and the benefits they can expect.

  • Using a progress bar on your website or in email marketing campaigns to show the client how close they are to reach their desired outcome with your services.

  • Creating a sense of urgency by using language such as "don't miss out" or "limited spots available" in your marketing campaigns.

  • Offering a free consultation or discovery call to help potential clients understand the value of your services.

  • Using a countdown timer on your website or in email campaigns to create a sense of urgency for a limited-time offer or event.

  • Using gamification techniques such as quizzes or surveys to engage potential clients and introduce them to your services in a fun way.

  • Offering a free trial of your services, so clients can experience the value for themselves before committing to a full package.

  • Creating a sense of community by offering a referral program or exclusive access to events or resources for clients who refer friends or colleagues to your services.


ecommerce professional counting inventory

Nudge Marketing Examples for E-commerce Stores

Nudge marketing is a powerful tool for e-commerce because it can be used to drive conversions, increase sales, and improve customer engagement. By using subtle cues such as social proof, scarcity, and urgency, e-commerce businesses can create a sense of motivation for customers to take action. Not sure where to start? Check out these ideas for your store:

  • Free shipping - People are more likely to buy from a store that offers free shipping, especially when the offering is combined with another nudge marketing strategy like a coupon code or discount. In fact, one study found that 78% of consumers said they’d be willing to pay for faster delivery if it meant saving money on their purchases. Such an offer can be tempting for customers who don't want to wait weeks for their products—and also benefit retailers by increasing sales and conversion rates!

  • In-cart upsell nudges are a great way to encourage customers to spend more money. By adding a simple message at the bottom of your shopping cart page, you can guide browsers into buyers. They are a great way to increase purchase amounts by offering additional products that you think your customer might be interested in.

  • Offer Expiry - An offer that will expire soon makes your customers feel like they need to act now or miss out on something special. Use this to your advantage by offering a discount or free shipping on any order placed within the next 24 hours.

  • Countdown timers - Create a countdown timer that displays how many hours, minutes, and seconds are left before the deal expires.

  • Limited Supply - Try setting deadlines or limiting supply by saying things like "Only 10 left in stock" or "Sold out" to create FOMO (fear of missing out) and drive users with action, the best way to create FOMO is by letting your customers know that you have limited supplies. If you only have a few items left, tell them! Also, if the product is in high demand and you’re getting tons of orders every day, make sure to let them know when it will be restocked so they can plan ahead.

  • Social Proof - Use customer reviews to your advantage. When people shop they look for reviews to confirm their choice. There is no better way to build trust than by having real customer testimonials on your website.

Combining nudge marketing and other marketing strategies

Nudges are a great way to increase conversion rates, but you should use them with other marketing strategies.


Example: nudge marketing effect on sales

For example, you might use nudges to guide your customers toward the most popular products when they visit your e-commerce store. Then, once they've made a purchase, you can provide them with incentives (like coupons) or send them promotional emails that further encourage them to buy more items from your store.

This type of strategy is known as "nudge-plus" because it uses both nudges and traditional marketing methods.


While there are many different ways to use nudges in your marketing strategy, the most important thing is to remember that they should be used carefully. If you're trying too hard, people will see right through it and walk away from your site or not click on an email link because they don't trust what they're being told. By using nudges carefully, you can still get great results without annoying people.


Looking to dial up your marketing efforts even more? Read our blog post on 10 Ways to Increase Traffic to your Website (even if you’re not sure how to start) .







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