How does a buyer buy? We can all answer this question, because we all become buyers at some point, maybe even daily.
Whether we’re buying something simple like a cup of coffee, or something more complex, like solar panels for our house, the buyer’s journey is identical, with the exception that one is just more complicated than the other. (E.g. More people are involved in the buying decision and of course, the amount we spend is higher).
Let’s look at the simple example: buying a cup of coffee.
Many of us buy coffee, and often we buy it from the same coffee shop every time. What would make you switch to a new supplier?
Maybe you learned that there are now eco-friendly disposable cups, or there is a new flavour and you want to try it. Often this change trigger comes from an article, YouTube video or a friend saying, “Did you know….”.
If the insight is interesting enough, you might investigate who offers eco-friendly cups, and who sells the new flavour, and if your current shop doesn’t sell it, you’ll give the new shop a try. If their coffee is good, they might become your new favourite shop.
Think about the process you went through:
You were “happy”, and then something happened that gave you a reason to change. This was probably an emotional trigger (in this case it could just be FOMO).
After deciding to change, you researched what the new solution looks like and where to get it from. Then you tried it, and if it was OK, you switched to the new supplier.
Let’s take a more complex example: buying solar panels.
In this scenario, you’ve probably never bought solar panels before. If you have, it was most likely for a different property. The reason you investigate buying them might start with an emotional trigger (saving the planet) but there is also a financial element of consideration as it must be affordable and pay for itself within a certain time frame (Return on investment).
In this case, there might be two homeowners who have an equal say in the decision, so both need to agree that it’s something worth investigating.
Now the research for what a solution looks like begins. Should we buy panels or solar roof tiles? Should we have battery storage? How much power do we think we can generate? How much storage do we need? Where will the storage be located; inside or outside the house?… These questions define our solution criteria, and again there needs to be consensus.
Now that we know what we want, we can talk to potential suppliers and identify our preferred one.
When it’s time to commit, we may try and negotiate the price, when the installation will take place, etc. Again, the final decision requires consensus before we pay.
In both cases we have followed a simple process:
1. Found a compelling reason to change.
2. Agreed on specific solution criteria that meet our needs.
3. Found the best supplier.
4. Negotiated until we are happy to commit and hand over our money.
All very simple! But here’s the catch: at what point did you talk to a salesperson? In many cases, it would be at step 3 or 4, when you have already decided what you want and you just need to find the best supplier before making your purchase.
So, to truly sell or market effectively, you must first start by understanding where the buyer is in their process. Before reaching out, consider their journey and who has guided them through it. If it wasn’t you, it’s time to rethink your approach. Dive deeper into the buyer’s perspective, and let’s transform the way we engage.
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