The people who are going to buy from you are not the same as your market. Your market is the people who identify with your offer and support it. The people who are going to buy from you are a smaller group of people within your overall market.
This leads to two questions. First, what distinguishes those who buy from you from those who don’t buy even though they are supportive of your marketing message? The second question: how do you increase the number of customers from your market?
Who are the People who are Going to Buy?
Everyone makes decisions from the perspective of multiple pressures. Those predisposed to your offer may still consider other factors.
- Do they have the finances they need to pay for your offer? Note this is about having the finances and not willingness to part with them. You may find people who have ready cash and are unwilling to part with it. Others with little cash may scratch around to find the money because they really want your offer.
- Have they read or heard your marketing materials? Are they convinced of your offer’s value? If favourably disposed, perhaps they need a little more information.
- Do they know like and trust you as a person? This may be through encountering you in some way or through recommendations or testimonials. This is not necessarily about face-to-face encounters; people buy online from people they have never met in person.
- Do they share their worldview with yours? I offer support to values-based businesses and aim to reach those whose first priority is social change. Business owners who prioritise profit are not normally attracted to my offer. My offer is not very different from the profit-oriented marketing coach because all businesses have to make profit. The key issue here is agreement between my worldview and my market’s.
Remember these factors are not necessarily determinative. One prospect may be swayed by one factor whilst another listens to a different argument. Their reasons for saying yes or no are not set in stone. If you genuinely believe your offer would benefit a prospect; probe and challenge the reasons given for not making a purchase.
How to find more customers from your market
The objections people make to your offer are not absolute. They are a test for you and your offer and so it is helpful to rehearse responses to common objections. If you sell mainly through one-to-one meetings (as opposed to website or shopfront), structure arguments that anticipate objections. The awareness ladder provides a framework for structuring your arguments.
Here are some ideas to help prospects who voice the objections listed above.
- Financial objections come from a variety of sources and sometimes a prospect is trying to buy more time to decide. It is not usually a good idea to allow them to leave without a decision because many people on reflection find buyer’s remorse easier if no money has changed hands. Usually, there is a pause while an invoice is issued and so most prospects can change their minds. If they have already agreed to a deal, they will find it more difficult to back out. If the prospect is convinced of your offer’s value, they are less likely to back down on reflection.
- Some people may hesitate because they would like to try you out first. They may value an introductory offer before investing large amounts of money. So, a place on a workshop may help them decide to commit to one-to-one coaching.
- Others may simply have cash-flow issues and so if there is some way to flex payments, they may be able to commit to the purchase.
Listen for Their Problems
The real issue for many people is they need to see the value of your offer for themselves. So, your aim is to get them talking and thinking about their objectives and how you can help them. Many new businesses provide too much information. If you can listen to your prospects, they will tell you their problems. You can then make an offer based on their problems. “This is how my offer can help you.”
By listening carefully to your prospects you can identify weaknesses in your marketing and sales approach and make adjustments as your experience increases.
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