The Customer Buying Journey: How Your Sales Tactics Might Be Turning Your Audience Off

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We spend so much time ‘niching down’ but very little time talking about the customer buying journey.

 

Meaning, we use demographic markers such as age, gender, income, profession, and education to target our audience. We might get a little more sophisticated by understanding where they shop, what problems they have, and what makes them tick.

 

All of which is great for giving us a baseline for targeting our audience. But we rarely talk about the customer buying journey—the way in which your audience makes decisions (i.e., shops and makes purchases). This is important because if you don’t understand how your customers make decisions, you might be turning them off with your sales tactics. 

 

I am sure we’ve all had an experience with someone trying to sell us on something that left us feeling triggered, icky, or outright frustrated. And I want to believe it’s because they don’t understand the customer buying journey.

 

But there is also a part of me that knows poor sales tactics have been taught for years. The approach where you ‘cold’ call as many of your ideal audience as possible. It doesn’t matter if they are in the market for what you’re selling or not. Eventually, someone will bite. And if they don’t, keep bugging them until they say yes.

 

True story... I once had a salesperson email me weekly for over a year trying to sell me ad space. Even though I never responded to a single email he kept at it. Some people might enjoy being peppered in their inbox with weekly deals. But for me, I’m the type of buyer that finds these sales tactics a major turn-off. 

 

Why?

 

Because it’s not the way I make decisions about what I’m going to invest in. Heck, it’s not the way I make any decisions in my life. I’m extremely independent, and I want the freedom to make my own decisions. I don’t want someone telling me that I ‘need’ what they are selling.

 

Does this sound like you too?

 

If not that’s cool!! We all make decisions in our own way. But as a business owner that sells products or services, it’s vital that you understand this about your audience. Otherwise you run the risk of turning them off completely.

 

And we don’t want that, do we?

 

That’s why I am sharing five types of buyers and how they make decisions so that you can start to understand this from their perspective. And how best to serve them in that way.

 

Let’s dive in!! 

 

1. Impulse Shopper.

This type of decision-maker tends to buy things impulsively, which sometimes results in buyers' remorse. But it won’t take much to convert this type of audience. Put the right product or service in front of them, and they’ll click the buy now button most of the time. They don’t require you to build the know, like, and trust factor.

 

2. Independent Seeker.

They are highly independent and know what they want, but they like to weigh their options. So they’ll initiate the process by conducting research about the product or service they are seeking. This doesn’t mean they’ll buy from you. Remember they are researching a variety of options. They want the autonomy to make the decision on their own so pushy sales tactics are a major turn-off. They can also see right through it.

 

3. Passive Observer.

They are passively observing what’s going on in the market. They know they need something but they aren’t quite sure what product or service they’ll buy. Typically, they need to be recognized and invited into marketing campaigns. Highly personalized approaches work well for this audience. So, personally reaching out via email, DMs, or telephone is a great way to form a connection. But they want to know that you see and understand them so building the know, like, and trust factor is huge for this audience.

 

4. Ambitious Initiator.

This type of decision-maker knows what they want, and where to go to get it. So, they’ll initiate the sale. They don’t like being told what to do so slipping into their DMs trying to sell them on something is a dead-end approach. It may even result in you being blocked or them calling you out.

 

5. Deliberate Purchaser.

This type of purchaser is very deliberate. Meaning it takes them a lot of time to make a purchase. It can even take them years. They don’t flinch at deals, stacking bonuses, or other flashy sales tactics. So don’t waste your time trying to sell them on all of the above. They are highly sophisticated, which makes each purchase deliberate.

 

Now that we know that our audiences’ decision-making plays a role in how we sell to them, I’d love for you to reflect on the ways you’re currently marketing your products or services.

 

Also, take a moment and identify personally the type of buyer that resonates with you the most. For me, I’m definitely a cross between an independent seeker and an ambitious initiator. I don’t like being sold to at all. 

 

I’d like to hear your thoughts or if you have any questions about the customer buying journey. 

 

Also, I’d love for you to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.