Who will buy your product or service

By Steve Manning

You see, whether you’re selling clothing, microwaves or insurance, there’s a common set of reasons why people will buy your product or service. Once you identify and understand these reasons, you’re well on the way to unlocking the secrets of effective selling.

For example, if you’re selling home security systems, what are you really selling? That’s right – peace of mind. And peace of mind is an emotion; something that compels people to buy. Therefore, the following line does a good job of conveying the benefits of a home alarm:

“Protect your home and family with 24/7 peace of mind.”

Quite simply, you need to provide a clear and relevant reason for buying. And your copy needs to connect with the right human emotion. In this case, fear and/or security.

So without further ado, here are 7 powerful reasons why people buy:

1. To save money

Pretty simple one, huh! Whether it’s a 2-for-1 deal or a great rate on a home loan, saving money is a high priority for most people. So if you’re offering a cheap home loan, what are you really selling? You’re selling a way to pay the mortgage more quickly…therefore a way to have more money to invest…therefore a way to achieve financial security…therefore a way to enjoy a better standard of living.

2. To make money

Just like most people want to save money, we all like to make money to live comfortably, buy the things we want and to have a secure future. So if your product or service provides a way for people to make money, you need to appeal to their emotions. Investing is a good one. Ask your market if they would like a secure future for their family. Or ask them if they’d like to do the things they’ve always dreamed of – travel, buy a sports car or a holiday home.

3. To save time

If your product or service saves time, this means that your customer will have more time to do the things they’d rather be doing. A dishwasher is a great example. Why spend half an hour doing the dishes when this dishwasher can do it for you. Then you’ll have more time each evening to play with the kids, relax on the couch or go for a walk.

4. Convenience

This is such a strong motivator. Why? Because we are increasingly time poor these days and anything that adds convenience to our lives has great appeal. It makes our life easy. It removes hassle. Therefore, a product or service that provides a hassle-free experience is sensational – like the convenience of using a tax agent to do your tax.

5. Fear/security

Fear is another great motivational tool. Consider the following fears: Will you have enough money when you retire? Is the car you’re driving safe enough for your family? How secure is your job in these tough economic times? If your product or service provides peace of mind for your customers, tap into this emotion and tell them how you’ll solve their problem.

6. Ego gratification

This motivator is an oldie but a goodie. Anything that stokes the ego is terrific. People love praise from others, attracting others or creating a desired lifestyle. So maybe your product or service makes people feel good about themselves. Maybe it improves their image. If so, emphasise these benefits and appeal to their ego.

7. Pleasure

And finally, perhaps your product or service just makes people feel damn good! You might be a massage therapist, own an amusement park or a movie theatre. What you’re selling is fun, a reason to smile or a good time with family and friends.

So there you have it – 7 powerful reasons why people buy. As a business owner, marketer or copywriter, it’s important to identify these motivators and tap into them wherever possible.

If you’re able to provide the link between your product or service and the emotional benefit the person will enjoy, you’ll be well on the way to making a sale, earning more money, buying the things you want, securing your financial future…you get the picture!

When it comes to selling to your prospect, it’s important to understand their why. Why do people buy products or services?

You see, people will buy your product or service to satisfy one of two main needs. Some times they will even buy to satisfy both needs.

These two needs are:

1. The need to avoid pain, or a loss
2. The need to gain pleasure.

These are the two motivating factors in a person for doing anything in their life; to gain pleasure, or to avoid pain. You may have heard it stated this way, “The carrot or the stick”. The carrot represents the edible reward, while the stick refers to a punishing switch.

Your goal in finding the answer to the prospects’ problems is to find the pleasure they wish to gain or the pain they wish to avoid, and then show them how your product or service will help them avoid that pain, or gain the pleasure they seek.

Does that make sense?

Great! Let’s move on…

People buy products or services based on emotional needs or wants, and then justify their purchase logically.

So, in the qualifying phase of the sales process you need to find what the desired results are your prospect is seeking. Then you must dig deep to find their internal emotional reasons for wanting what they are telling you they want.

When you connect with people and their emotional reasons for wanting what they desire, you have tremendous power to give them what they want, and have them feel great about buying your product or service. Studycrumb on the other hand is a top-rated Essay writing service.

At this point you are probably wondering how to do that.

Let me explain…

In order for a prospect to find value in what you are attempting to sell them, you have to understand they have a problem they need some help with. Once you understand this, you can show them how your product or service can solve their problem.

If a prospect doesn’t have a problem, or has a problem your product or service will not solve for them, you’ll be spinning your wheels trying to sell them. Many sales people will attempt to sell their product or service to this prospect; however, it’s usually ends poorly for the sales person.

There are different types of prospects. I will cover each one so you’ll know when you encounter them.

1. You have the prospect who knows they have a problem and are eager to find a solution for it.
2. You have the prospect that is somewhat aware that they have a problem; however, they’re not quite sure how to go about solving it. This particular type may also not be aware of the consequences of not solving their problem. In other, words it’s not a priority for them.
3. The third type of prospect isn’t even aware they have a problem.

You need to handle each type of prospect in exactly the same way. You need to use the same process of questioning and probing regardless of whether the prospect knows they have a problem or not.

When the prospect shows an obvious need for your product or service, don’t fall into the trap many salespeople fall into. Resist the temptation at this point to show them what your product or service will do for them, the benefits of doing business with you and your company, and how much they will invest in what you’re selling.

Then they shake your hand, thank you for coming, and tell you they need to think about it, and you walk out wondering why you didn’t make the sale.

You didn’t make the sale because you didn’t follow the sales process and proceed with the question and probing phase of the process. You figured you could take a short cut and save yourself some time. What you did was waste your time, and the possibility of making a sale.

Do not, under any circumstances, think you can skip any step, including qualifying. Follow every step in the process. I know you think you may be saving yourself time, however, in the long run; skipping steps will cost you time and money.

So what questions should you ask?

You should always ask open end questions. Open end questions begin with “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “how” and “why”. An open end question cannot be answered with “yes or no”. Open ended questions require the prospect to tell you what they think, what they want, or how they feel.

First of all, you want to determine what product or service they are currently using. So, begin with a simple question, “What product or service are you currently using?” Remember, when you ask a question, close your mouth and listen. Don’t think about what you’re going to say next. Listen to what they are saying, and don’t speak until the prospect finishes talking.

An important lesson I’ve learned in sales is that most people will tell you anything you want to know. All you have to do is ask. People love to talk about themselves, and want to share information about their current situation, problems, likes and dislikes. However, in most cases they need to be prompted. This prompting comes from asking the right questions in the right tone and manner.

When you begin probing, ask general questions. General questions are less threatening; they get the ball rolling, and give you information so you can determine which direction to aim your more specific questions.

Another general question to ask is, “What do you like most about the current product or service you are using?”, “What do you like least?”, or, “How would you like it to be different?” “If you could design the perfect product or service to meet you needs, what would it do for you?”

I used a similar form of question when I sold Real Estate. I asked my buyers to describe the perfect house, right down to the last detail. I mean everything they would ideally want in their house. Then, depending on the price range they could afford, I would narrow the list down to the most important ones they would be apt to find in a house, in their price range.

The product or service someone currently owns, and what they like or dislike about it, will tell you a lot about what buying decisions they will make in the future. This line of questioning will give you a general understanding of what they are looking for, and how your product or service fits their needs.

The questions regarding what they like, dislike, or wish were different, will give you some insight into the pain they are looking to avoid, and the pleasure they want to gain. Also, it will tell you if they want something similar to what they currently have, or something different.

You should spend as much time as you need on this phase of questioning. It’s important to the process to get as much general information as possible before deciding the direction to take your questioning. Don’t be concerned your prospect will object to the number of questions.

Actually, what you will find, if your questions are asked with a genuine interest and caring attitude, your prospect will be more than willing to share the answers. After all, you’re there to help them solve their problem, and if that’s really your primary focus, they will relax and tell you anything you want to know.

I know you’re thinking you’re there to make a sale, and you are; however, as I’ve said before, get the dollar signs out of your eyes. “When you stop treating the prospect like a paycheck, and put their needs first, you will be on your way to earning more money than you can imagine”.

You need to change your thinking to “How can I provide service”? The compensation you receive is in direct proportion to how much value you provide.