Buyers are influenced by so many different things and stimuli every day. From advertisements on billboards, to pop-up ads on their computer as they browse the Internet, to product placement in movies and television shows – there are countless ways that brands try to get their products into the hands of consumers. In order to drive more sales from your website, you need to understand what motivates your visitors to buy. The better you understand your target audience, their motivations, and their buying habits; the easier it will be for you to influence those same customers with your marketing efforts. Understanding how buyers make decisions is also important when it comes time to develop a new marketing strategy. Read on for six questions that will help you better understand buying behaviors and create a more successful marketing campaign moving forward.
What is the purpose of the product or service?
The first thing to consider when trying to understand buying behaviors is the purpose of the product or service. Every product or service has a unique purpose, whether it’s to improve health or hygiene, provide entertainment, or complete a necessary task in the daily routine. If you aren’t clear on why someone would want to purchase your product or service, you can’t expect to drive sales with your marketing efforts. Start by asking yourself, “Why would someone want to purchase this product or service?” and “How will it help them?” You should have a clear idea of the benefits your consumers will receive once they make their purchase.
What benefits does the consumer receive?
Once you have identified the purpose of the product or service, you should also consider the associated benefits. Why do customers really buy your product or service? What positive impact will it have on their lives, and why is it important to them? Even if the product or service is necessary (like groceries or auto repair), customers won’t want to make a purchase if they don’t receive some sort of benefit. Make sure you know what benefits are associated with your product or service, and how those benefits impact the consumer’s life. You’ll have a better idea of how to position your products and what language to use when describing their benefits.
Who will be using the product or service?
Understanding the demographics of your target audience is important for a variety of reasons, one of which being that it will help you better understand who will be using your product or service. You might have a product or service that appeals to a wide audience, but it’s important to know who the majority of your consumers are. If you have a product or service that appeals to children, but your customer base is primarily adults, it won’t do you much good. In order to create a more targeted marketing campaign, you must know who will be using your product or service and what they look like. You can then use this information to better tailor your marketing message, such as your product descriptions and images.
Why is it important for the consumer to purchase now?
Every purchase the consumer makes is for a reason, and you need to understand those reasons. It’s likely that the customer has several options from which to choose when browsing your website; why do they want to purchase from your brand? What is driving them to make a purchase from your website? Are they looking for a specific item, or are they browsing to see what’s available? Know why it’s important for your customers to purchase from you. You need to answer these questions and uncover the motivations behind the purchase. Are you offering a special promotion? Do you have a limited-time offer available? Do you have a guarantee or money-back policy that you want to highlight? It’s important to consider all of these factors in order to drive more sales from your site.
Are there any obstacles to buying?
As you are considering the reasons why your customers want to make a purchase from your site, you should also consider any barriers that might be preventing them from buying. These barriers could be due to your customer’s environment, their mental state, or the current events happening in their lives. You might have the best products in the world, but if your customers aren’t in a position to make a purchase, they won’t. Where will your customers be when they make their purchase? Are they at home, at work, or on the go? What will they be doing? Is there something happening in their lives that might be preventing them from making a purchase? Maybe they have a special family event coming up and they don’t have time to shop.
How likely is this customer to buy again?
Once you have more information about your customers, you can also better understand their likelihood to buy again. This doesn’t just pertain to the first purchase; you should know if your customers are likely to make a second purchase and how many purchases they are likely to make in the long term. Are your customers likely to make another purchase from your website? Are they likely to recommend your products or services to their family or friends? You should know how likely your customers are to buy again – both in general and for your specific brand. You can use this information to tailor your marketing campaigns and better understand how to build relationships with your customers.
Bottom Line
At the end of the day, your customers are the ones who will decide whether or not to make a purchase. Navigate your website and make sure your marketing efforts are designed to help them make informed decisions and get the most out of their shopping experience. When you understand why your customers want to make a purchase, what they’re looking for, and how they prefer to shop, it will be much easier to tailor your marketing efforts and drive more sales from your site.