When you are being sold to, you probably have an internal monologue going on. You’re full of questions—some that might be rude to ask out loud! And you aren’t ready to hear a sales pitch until your questions have been answered.
This may come as a surprise: Your buyer also has an inner monologue going.
Understanding what questions your buyers are asking internally (and in what order) can help you reveal the most persuasive details as they are ready to hear them.
In this article, we’ll pose the five questions most buyers have running through their minds. We’ll share tips for addressing each question and preparing your buyer to make a confident decision. Ready?
#1: Should I pay attention?
All of us are bombarded with information all day long. An incredible amount of it needs to be tuned out, or we’ll go nuts. So, how do we choose where to prioritize our focus? We pay attention to the things that seem to be specifically about or for us.
Capture your audience’s attention by talking about them. Do this first—don’t wait. Instead of starting out talking about your offering, open with who the offering is for and what problem it solves.
#2: Am I ready for change?
Most of us have a long list of things we meant to get around to but that we keep putting off. What would it take for me to help you decide to do one of those things?
Let’s say you’ve been procrastinating about mowing your lawn. What if you look out your window and all of your neighbors are mowing their lawns—everyone except for you. Now are you ready?
That’s how customers decide, too. Most changes, including buying decisions, are driven by a social catalyst. “What do other people like me do in situations like this one?” Provide evidence, even anecdotal evidence, that many other people are taking the kind of action you’ve asked them to take.
#3: What am I getting myself into?
If you’ve ever put off purchasing something you knew you needed, it was probably because you didn’t have the time or energy to deal with the effort involved in buying, getting started, or using the new thing.
What does your customer need to do, give up, and go through? If you don’t tell them, they may assume the worst.
Win customers over by presenting a simple plan that shows how your offering will help them overcome a challenge. Make it as easy as possible to get started.
#4: Is this safe?
Product ideators love to talk about their innovations. On average, buyers would rather play it safe. Rather than focusing on the novelty (or innovation) of your offering, talk about its reliability, stability, and efficacy. Talk about how many happy customers you have, how many years you’ve been in business, and why people should feel safe buying from you.
Consider emotional safety as well. Nobody wants to be embarrassed that they let their company or family down by choosing the wrong, risky offering.
#5: What’s my next step?
Once you’ve convinced your buyer that they should pay attention, that they are ready for change, that the benefits of change outweigh the hassle, and that you’re a safe business to buy from—they may actually want to buy something!
What is their next step?
Does your customer know what to do? You better tell them, or they probably won’t figure it out!
Your call to action isn’t greedy beggary. It’s a clarifying statement that helps someone figure out how to give you their business.
Hang these five questions on your wall as a reminder to always think like a buyer. When we talk about “breaking through” with a customer, these questions are the “walls” we’re knocking down.
At Bruck Marketing, we’re experts at extracting the information we need to write clear, persuasive brand messages. We can discover everything we need to learn about your business in a tightly planned interactive session we call The BrandLab Messaging+ Workshop.