Discovering the magic within: Understanding intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation

In contrast, extrinsic motivation is stimulated by external factors such as rewards, recognition, or praise. This can be transferred to various areas of life: From jobs where employees strive for bonuses or promotions, to students who seek recognition from teachers or parents through a good grade. While extrinsic motivation can certainly increase short-term performance, it lags behind the long-term achievement of goals. Individuals who focus exclusively on external rewards can quickly lose interest as soon as the incentives disappear.

The authenticity of intrinsic motivation

When people are intrinsically motivated, they experience joy, personal fulfillment and act in a self-determined manner. This authentic motivation is inherently more sincere as it leads to actions driven by personal interest. This is also important when making recommendations: Consumers are more likely to trust intrinsically motivated recommendations than those that are motivated by external incentives.

“Recommendations based on incentives may stimulate Word of Mouth (WOM), but they don't achieve the same effect as intrinsic WOM when the paid nature is known to people. ” Trusov et al.

Unleash sales potential through viral loops

By activating clients' intrinsic motivation and sharing positive experiences, an extremely effective mechanism called a “viral loop” can be created. A viral loop is a self-perpetuating process in which users share their experiences with services or products with other people. This can trigger a chain reaction and boost a company's growth. Positive experiences are shared, which attracts new customers, who in turn contribute to maintaining the cycle by sharing their own experiences. This increases a company's visibility and leads to more sales.

Long story short

While external incentives are clearly important, intrinsic motivation stands for inner drive, genuine passion and long-term commitment. It is at the heart of authentic recommendations and fuels sustainable customer growth through existing and satisfied customers. This in turn leads to a good reputation and more sales in the most natural and authentic way.