WOM Meets Customers Head-On

Today, we’ll cover the idea of shortening your customers’ decision-making process with positive word of mouth. There are essentially 5 stages in the decision-making process.

 
They are:
  1. Give the product a chance and transition from a “no” to a “maybe”.
  2. Check out the options and investigate the different products available.
  3. Observe the product to check for potential benefits, features, and operations to see if there is a fit with their needs.
  4. Become a customer and purchase their first item. They will be discerning with their first product as they form their opinion of you.
  5. Purchase again and start spreading positive word of mouth as an advocate of your products.
 

So, let’s take a closer look at each one of these.

 

From “No” to “Maybe”

This stage is really important because if your potential customers don’t even take a second look at your products and services, then you have no chance of sealing a deal. This is why you need to offer credible information and well-thought-out pricing, guarantees, and incentives.

 

Investigating Your Products

At this stage, they are taking a closer look at your product line to see if there is actually anything that could benefit their life. This is where you need to make sure your hard information is right out there in front for the customers to see and compare.

 

Trial Period

Customers often feel more at ease and ready to purchase when there is some sort of a trial in place. They usually want to try vicariously through someone else, so they don’t feel any risk involved. A good way to offer this is through demo videos, product demonstrations or a tour of your facilities. This stage may invoke a reaction of “I tried it and liked it. You should check it out.”

 

Make a Purchase

At this stage, they have taken the risk of purchasing one of your products or services and are now evaluating how easy, convenient, cost-effective, and satisfying your product or service is. At this stage, a common reaction would be, “It was really easy to use and learn from. It’s really great, you should get it!”

 

Advocates for Yours Products

At this last stage of decision making, the customer is immensely pleased with your product and often keeps using it and/or comes back for more products and services. They are likely telling everyone they know how much they like it, that they use it every day, and have already (or will be) back to your establishment for more.

 

We talked a minute ago about the different types of purchasers. Now we are going to take a closer look at their characteristics so you can figure out which tactics are best to use at the right stage of the decision-making process.

 

The Innovator

  • Wants to stand out from the crowd
  • Know what’s hot and trendy
  • Likes “strange” or “weird” new products
  • Wants to be the first to try and will talk about it animatedly
 

Early Adopter

  • Driven by excellence
  • More concerned with possibilities than realities
  • Always looking to be a leader
  • Always looking for a new vision
 

Middle Majority

  • Wants to be perceived as competent
  • Concerned about practicality and easy comparisons
  • Needs an easy way out if not satisfied
  • Wants products that meet the industry standard
 

Late Majority

  • Generally skeptical and wants to know the risks upfront
  • Needs to shop around for the best deal
  • Needs a support system
  • Wants what everyone else has
 

Laggard

  • Needs it to be completely safe and traditional
  • Needs reassurance that nothing will go wrong
  • Won’t try new things unless it’s the last resort
  • Will search for loopholes and problems
  • Wants to use it in the standard industry way
 

As you can see, each type of consumer wants something just a little different depending on their personality type. The key to successful word of mouth is to target and cater to each type of consumer. If you need help identifying the types of consumers you are currently helping and how to attract the types you are lacking, try our FREE test drive for the resources and tools you need to get the job done.

 

Next time, we’ll talk about how word-of-mouth messages are delivered and what you can do to help facilitate that.

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  • Generating leads
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True sales results create more time and freedom in your life. As you track your sales behaviors, you will see momentum and your productivity increase. As your productivity ur pipeline will fill up.

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What is truly holding your business back from going to the next level? Is it you? Is it your sales? Your processes? Your team? Your cash flow or profit?

 

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  • Business Development – marketing & sales. Learn what methods people are using to grow their business the fastest. Discover how to get real ROI on your marketing dollars. Learn how to sell without having to be a “salesman”.
  • Infrastructure – systems, processes and your team. Learn how to build the business to run itself. Learn how to use technology in ways that create more time or money for you. Learn how to build a solid team of people that want to work with you for life.
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  • Customer Service – Finding the right customers and keeping them
  • Metrics – What numbers tell you the most about how your business is being successful? What numbers give you clarity on potential risks?

 

Business coaches know the questions to ask to find the metrics that are important to you. They can help you find risks. They help you see problems. They know how to take a business to the next level. They can help you find how you are getting in the way of your own business. They help you see what you don’t know even when you don’t know it. They see the common patterns that we all make in our businesses. Not only are they aware of the greatest things holding you back, they know how to create action that will create lasting and sustainable results.

 

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