Hey, bud. You’re pretty selfish. But ya know what? We’re selfish, too. In fact, everyone’s selfish! No matter how good of a person you are, it’s just a part of human nature to be bit by the Greedy Bug at some point or another. In steps consumer psychology.
Still don’t wanna admit that you’re even the tiniest bit selfish? Think about yourself as a consumer: when you’re in the market for a product or service, whose needs are you concerned with? Sure, there may be some cases that warrant purchasing something to support a business outright, or maybe all proceeds go to a charitable cause, but for the most part, you’re probably buying with the intent of your own personal use, profit, or satisfaction.
It’s important to remember that no matter who your target audience or client base is, they’re straight up selfish. And deservedly so—they have money and the persistent willingness to purchase! They don’t care about who you are, what you have, and what you do; they only care about what you can do for them. As far as their hard-earned money is concerned, it will be spent on their terms, not yours.
So how can you cater to them? How do you indulge their wants, needs, and desires? How can you form an emotional and loyal connection to make them love you more than your competitors?
The Pain Point
Start with understanding exactly what your customer’s needs are. Tap into who they are and what their point of view is. It may even help you to create a profile for the ideal consumer for your product or service. (A teenage boy’s wants are much different than an elderly woman’s!) Flesh your target client out to really understand where they’re coming from, where they’d like to be, and how your business can help them get there.
It isn’t enough to show them what you can do in hopes of them buying right away; you have to be able to offer a beneficial solution to their very real problem. Yes, you’re the expert in your industry, but a consumer is the expert in what THEY want.
Talk to Their Heart
You don’t really get much of a say, and that’s why you must approach everything with emotion. That’s the key here—the vast majority of consumer decisions are made through emotions. Not logic. You can talk about the good ole factual evidence of your product or service all day long, but if you don’t pull on their heartstrings a little and tell them how it can specifically benefit their own lives, you’re probably not winning them over.
A lot of businesses get stuck in this rut and stay constrained within a generic template of only using the most boring, matter-of-fact information in their sales pitch. Sure, that stuff matters to you (and to them… to some extent) but to pack the most punch, you have to sell them on the right mix of rational facts AND emotional connections.
Focus on Them
Oh, and by the way, that sales pitch? Yeah, don’t talk about yourself. When you talk, talk to the customer. Try using “you” statements as opposed to “us” and “we” statements.
For example, instead of this:
- “We are affordable.”
- “Our product is easy to use.”
- “We have 40+ years of experience.”
Try this:
- “You won’t have to blow your budget.”
- “You’ll love how simple it is to use.”
- “(You can) Trust the reputation built on over 40 years of experience.”
Put Yourself in Their Shoes
The funny thing is, it’s not too difficult to talk to consumers. Why? Because even as a business owner, you’re a consumer yourself!
You’ve been in plenty of situations before in which you had a personal problem that you wanted solved with a specific product or service; in that aspect, you literally have all you need to be able to communicate with them in the way you should.
Give Us a Buzz 🐝
Marketing your business is all about getting your brand and its message in front of the right people at the right time. It’s about not only grabbing their attention, but keeping it, and converting them from just another prospect to a loyal customer. Do interesting things in your own way, not the cookie-cutter way.
It’s about finding the right marketing agency for the job.
Luckily, we know a pretty talented team who can help. Contact Hive Marketing to get started on your custom marketing strategy and business consulting plan. We can’t wait to work with you!
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