Become a Part of the Process
Some products are designed to be bought on impulse – chewing gum, magazines, and keychain flashlights for instance. But unless your product or service is an inexpensive commodity available at the checkout counter of your local convenience store, your customer’s buying process is probably a little more complex.
Most people do some research before they buy. They look on the internet, read product reviews, scan catalogs or brochures, and ask friends, family, and co-workers for recommendations. Depending on the price and complexity of the product, they may drag this process out over weeks, months, or even longer. By the time they call or come in to your store for the first time, they’re probably 90% sure of what they want and whom they plan on buying it from. At this point in the process, the negotiation will be centered on price and there will be very little that you can do to influence the buyer’s decision.
Although most business owners are aware of this process, many continue to focus the bulk of their marketing efforts on the last stage, where the costs are highest and the success rate is lowest.
Why not approach things differently and direct 90% of your marketing efforts towards customers that haven’t already made up their minds? Why not become part of the buying process instead of hoping that the process leads to you?
