I am intrigued by the psychology of selling online.  What is the bright shiny button that makes people click and purchase?  What is so compelling about the story telling that results in an order?  On the flip side I ponder why customers don’t buy more than anything else. Thanks to Brendon Burchard for getting me thinking about this and providing the basis for today’s post.

I believe one of the biggest assumptions most people make when selling is that everyone is their customer.

Which is number one on the list:  People don’t want what you are selling.  Face it toothpaste for cats is useless to me.  I don’t have a cat.  Acne treatment also not a big need, left adolescence several decades ago.  Pick up lines not high in the list anymore either.

Number two on the list:  No sense of urgency.  I can always come back tomorrow, or there are no real incentives to buy today.  What does taking action today get me as opposed to waiting.  Think toothache, just what gets you to the dentist before it really hurts?  Knowing that good oral health is linked to good heart health is incentive to make that visit more often.

Number three: I can’t afford it.  Price can be a deal killer.  What can you do to help alleviate that issue?  Two or three easy auto payments?  No payments for 30, 60, or 90 days.  There are other ways to clear the cost barrier but that is a topic for another day.

Number four:  I don’t believe you.  Yep, tell me that isn’t a big one.  Seth Godin said so in his book, “All Marketers are Liars” recently re-titled ”All Marketers are Storytellers”.  All about the same in the eyes of the consumer.

Number five isn’t really your problem, but if you can effectively communicate you can help the customer over the fence.  I don’t believe I can have what you are selling or I can do what you are telling.

Finally number six:  They got pitched or promoted to not campaigned.  NOBODY like to get “sold”.  Buyers remorse stems from that feeling of getting suckered, lied too, hoodwinked, or “got”.  As consumers we hate being talked at, shotgunned with facts, features, and fast talk.  Best car buying experience I ever had was the sales guy who asked about what I did for a living, my driving habits, my family, how often I bought a car.  Did I know that I could get a sizable discount for paying cash, the dealership would offer me a discount for buying the same brand as a loyalty reward or a bonus if I bought a competitor brand.  He bought me a cold drink, walked me through the service bay and introduced me to the service manager.  We drove several SUV’s and a few cars.  Then let me buy the best two door coupe I ever owned.  (Side bar I was looking for a 4 wheel drive SUV.)  The salesman campaigned me, by pointing out my 120 mile round trip commute would be more in gas a week than a monthly car payment, the ride would not be as comfortable, and insurance would be less on a car than an SUV.

In the end I had to be educated and trained into a new way of thinking.  I was allowed to make decisions and get answers.  I was able to feel good about those decisions and brought to a place that made it easy to have.  The next time you are thinking about chasing the magic formula to get more customers take some time to examine the six reasons why customers don’t buy.

Michael Mock
Technology Workgroup

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