Consumer Psychology

Life-event Marketing

Understand why major life events unlock a wave of buying — and reset brand loyalties — making them one of the most valuable moments to reach a customer.

  • Intermediate
  • 10 min total
  • 11 chapters

What decision this helps you make: How to identify and reach people at the life events that trigger cascades of purchases.

What this topic is

Life-event marketing reaches people at major transitions — a move, marriage, a new baby, a new job, retirement — that (a) trigger a cascade of purchases at once and (b) disrupt old habits and loyalties, making people unusually open to new brands.

Why it matters

Life events are among the biggest, highest-value buying triggers: a person is simultaneously spending heavily and receptive to switching brands. Reaching someone at a life-event trigger can be far more valuable than reaching them at any ordinary time — which is why new-mover and new-parent marketing is a huge industry. Understanding it lets you meet customers at their most valuable moments.

Who should learn it

Anyone whose product is bought around life transitions — and anyone who wants to understand why life events are such powerful, valuable marketing moments.

What you will understand

  • See life events as high-value buying triggers
  • Understand why they trigger cascades of purchases
  • Know why they reset habits and open brand-switching
  • Reach people at their life-event moments

Prerequisites

Common misconception

"A customer is a customer, whenever you reach them." People are dramatically more valuable — and more open to new brands — at major life events. A move, a baby, or a new job triggers a cascade of purchases and breaks old habits, so someone who'd never switch brands normally becomes receptive. Reaching people at these moments is far more valuable than reaching them at ordinary times.