This is Why Your Customer Buys

There are several primary reasons why your customer buys your product, goods, or service.nnIf you sell a "high-ticket" item, like real estate or automobiles...this can be a major decision, one that does not happen every week, like buying groceries.n nFirst, remember your customer doesn't "NEED" this high-ticket product....they WANT it. Now it is up to you to match what they "think" they need with what they really want. n nThis major decision is primarily based on underlying emotional conditions....I don't mean the Dr. Phil kind....I mean the real kind that you and I both have. n nThe primary underlying emotional reasons for a major purchase of this sort are as follows:n n1. A need for safety, security or assurance. By this, I mean your buyer wants to have a level of certainty about their decision. For some people, their degree of the need for assurance is much greater than others. In your qualifying and discovery of the client, you must assess how much assurance they need in their life, and especially this kind of purchasing decision. You do this by listening to the reasons they have made other major decisions in their life. Also, how often do they speak of warranty, guarantees, dead lines, and what happens if something goes wrong, the process, etc.? These kinds of conversations can often help you determine how much "security" they need in their life. The more “certainty” you discover, the more assurances you need to offer in order to earn their business.n n2. A need for variety and differences. If your potential buyer is a skydiver, bull rider, biker, mountain climber, or rock star, this might be a good indication of their desire to have a lot of variety in their life. I only say this with slight tongue-in-cheek. Some people are more prone to want variety and a plethora of different experiences than others. Again, getting to know the past purchasing history of your buyer is very helpful. For example, I have observed about myself that I tend to make decisions rather quickly without a great analytical approach; because I figure things will work out as they go along. And you know what....I have proven myself right along the way all of my life. It works very well for me. Your prospective buyer may need to see how experiential their purchase is instead of how practical their decision is. Find out. You may also find that your prospective customer wants to know what is “different” about you and your service rather than what is more common. n n3. A need to satisfy the ego or obtain significance in one's life. Each major purchase supports a person's need for the ego. This is not a bad thing. We all have it at some level. We all express it in various ways. Usually, simple visual observations of your buyer can give you a pulse of their need for significance. Ego satisfaction can be obtained socially, in the family, culturally or even economically. Regardless, it is your job to tap into your buyer's need for significance related to their purchasing decision. A simple question like, "how do you feel this purchase would enrich your life?" is a good starting point. Or, “how many of your friends have discussed this product?” Listen intently for the underlying message. n n4. A need to create love and human connection. Again, everyone has a different level of the need to connect with other humans. You may have a grandmother who defines connection by making sure you have plenty to eat. For some reason, her need to feed you gives her pleasure regardless of how stuffed you are. Listen carefully to how much people discuss their family, how often they like to entertain, where they socialize, what size are the groups they hang out with and who they typically hang out with. Once you get these insights, revolve your sales presentation around the connection they will get in your product.n nIt goes without saying that you must listen, listen, listen to your buyer and not try to "talk" your way into a deal. Rather, you must "listen" your way into a deal. n nBy the way, at some level, we are all doing things to meet the above needs. It makes our life rich and spicy. So just take into account that your buyer is the same as you and when you connect to their needs, you will have set the right foundation to make a sale.n nUntil our paths cross again, take great care of yourself and your loved ones.