Businesses are created in order to provide products and services and then turn them into profits. It may not be as simple since there are challenges that may come along the way. But the main concern of business owners is how to ethically influence consumers to purchase what they offer.
The ultimate goal of any business owner is to get a consumer to buy something that they need, but don’t currently have or to get rid of something that they already have but may not need or want. It’s kind of tricky, right? So, what is the best way how to do this?
Most business owners want to provide a solution to solve a problem of their customers. They feel that they have the moral obligation to provide exactly what the customers need without the need to deceive their customers. It is not their goal to create tactics that would insanely sweep their customers’ off of their feet only to realize by the customers that what they have purchased is just a waste of their time and money. Not only is this deceitful, but it is also reprehensible.
Customers trust the business to provide them good and real information to help them come up with the buying decision. This type of information can be conveyed in various ways. It can be relayed through the various articles which customers may read across the various different mediums, social media interactions, videos, television advertisements, and by word of mouth by satisfied customers.
Whatever delivery method is used, the buying decision is the result of both how well the information was relayed from the business to the consumer, and the authenticity of the information. Every business has the responsibility of educating their customers. This is a way on how new customers can have a better understanding of what a product or service is all about. A customer may come inside the store not having a full knowledge of what he wants. Example, someone walks in and would like to buy a laptop. But since the customer has no knowledge of the technicalities, he would rely on the salesperson and may ask the following questions:
- What is your most saleable laptop?
- How much is your cheapest laptop?
- What are the specifications of a laptop for personal use? For gaming?
- How is Brand X different from Brand Y?
If the company performs poorly in educating their customers about the reasons they should purchase a specific item, you can’t expect the customer to purchase the item. It would be like wasting the customer’s time and the company missing out an opportunity to make a sale and spreading a positive feedback.
The Consumer’s Buying Decision
A buying decision is a result after the consumer has learned about a product and service which relates to their situation in order to make a favorable buying decision. This can be reflected in different ways:
1. Assimilation of information. This is the information that a customer receives from what he has read or heard in the form of watching advertisements, reading feedback, or watching videos.
2. Application of information to the consumer’s personal set of circumstances. A consumer will have the time to think about the possibility of buying a certain product and would make a picture in his mind if the product is something that is worth buying or if it will truly serve its purpose.
3. Based on previous experience with a similar product, a consumer may compare it and develop ways on how to integrate its usage into his daily life.
Getting ready to Purchase
Businesses are equipped with a powerful strategy that can be used to change the buyer’s readiness to buy a product or service. Businesses come up with a strategy that can help their customers learn about what they offer. For example, a company sends out letters to their prospects. They must educate the consumer about the products or services and educate the consumer about the problem they are facing. This way, it can make the consumer think of having a possibility to purchase.
A follow-up letter should be sent to the prospects by giving them additional information like a testimonial from other customers. Through this, it could “heat” up the customer and would soon purchase what the business is offering.
Have you purchased from eBay or Amazon? Each product page includes a feedback of previous customers at the end of the page. By incorporating this, it allows new customers a bird’s eye view of the product that you intend to buy. A customer may base their decision on the result of the feedback. If there are more positive feedback, then hitting the “Buy Now” button would close a sale.
If you plan to start your own business or have already started, make sure that you continue to reach out to your customers so you would know how your product or service is doing in the market and find ways on how to make improvements if there are some small things that need tweaking.
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You may contact Armando “Butz” Bartolome for questions and more information.
By email: aob@gmb.ph
FB Page: Armando Bartolome
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franguru/
Website: https://www.gmb.ph
