In Business communication become a buying preference
Become a buying preference, not just a need
We buy mostly based on our emotional preferences (wants), not always on what we need. Who really needs a 4×4 (in the city), a $1000 pair of designer jeans, or a new 62 inch 3D TV? We may sometimes feel we need a glass of wine, a whisky, or a beer at the end of a tough day – but it is a preference, not a need. Wanting Glenfiddich Single Malt whisky vs Bells is also a preference. We need food to eat, but don’t need prawns, rump steak, triple topping pizzas, or chocolate gateau cake (and certainly not in the same meal). We eat these things as they are a sustenance preference.
Think about what you have recently bought that you didn’t really need, but wanted.
We buy some products as we associate with their brand image. How the brand makes us feel, or as we feel the brand fits our self-image (or alternatively symbolises who we want to be). Are you a Blackberry type of person, or an Apple type? Armani or Dior? Are they your buying preference? For some people price is the key factor, but as soon as we move beyond survival, preferences forms the basis of most of our decisions.
Fear can motivate us to buy. The fear of risk, of missing an opportunity, or of disaster (financial, medical or property) can push us to buy. Insurance, as an example, is a grudge purchase based on many of these fears. The market is full of companies that sell insurance, so why do you buy from a specific company? Is it purely on price, or do you base that decision on the experience the company offers?
Some companies have realised that if they compete on price alone, customers will always be tempted to move to a cheaper option. To stand out, and retain customers, they need to build relationships, and make choosing their organisation an emotional preference not just a need. The relationships people have with an organisation (or their agents), plus their perceived levels of integrity, reliability and service are becoming key factors in buying decisions. Social media, such as Facebook and twitter, share these perceptions at lightning speeds impacting potential customer’s desire to do business with them.
Our wants, and preferences, drive our choices. As we become aware of this emotional drive we can learn change the way we sell to, or influence, our customers. They, like us, buy-in with their hearts, then justify their decision with their heads.
If you want to learn to create One Clear Message and sell an Emotional Experience, become a buying preference then contact us today!
Richard Riche
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