The best way to persuade your customers to purchase your products is by showing them that they need your product and this could be done in two ways; educating them about the product and advertising the products to them.
Customers never buy because of product features. They buy because they perceive some “benefit” to those features. You’ll get more customers, more quickly, if you communicate the benefits of using your product rather than the features it possesses.
Firstly, know the difference between a benefit and features.
A feature is something that a product or service “is” or “does”. A benefit is something that the product or service “means” to the customer. For example:
- Wrong: “This car has a reinforced safety roof.” (Feature)
- Right: “This car keeps your family safe” (Benefit)
By this way to persuade your customer to purchase your product is by telling the product’s benefits rather than a feature.
Here are some rules for doing so, based upon a conversation.
1. BENEFITS-SHORT
Most people can only hold two or three thoughts at one time in their short-term memory. Long lists of benefits cause confusion.
- Wrong: “Here are the top 10 benefits of using our products.”
- Right: “The two most important things to remember are….”
2. MAKE your BENEFITS CONCRETE
Customers ignore benefits that are abstract and expressed using vague adverbs and adjectives. Benefits that are concrete and specific are more convincing and ‘stick in the mind of a customer’
- Wrong: “We can radically reduce your inventory cost.”
- Right: “We decrease inventory costs by an average of 25%.”
3. USE VIVID BUT PLAIN LANGUAGE
Customer will remember a benefit longer and more easily if it’s expressed using simple, strong words that evoke emotion.
- Wrong: “This roof provides protection in the event of rollover accident.”
- Right: “If this car rolls, there’s a good chance you’ll walk away unharmed.”
As a seller, you’ve got a wide range of products or services. They are of excellent quality. So why would your potential customers be struggling with the final decision? The answer is simple: there are thousands of sellers like you out there and you need to make sure to stand out so that these potential buyers become your customers. For the sake of this article, let’s just call them customers.
Here are some good practices to incorporate into your business in order to convince your customers to buy from you:
- PREPARE APPROPRIATE AND CLEAR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES YOU OFFER.
Together with adequate prices. No hidden costs. Be specific and to the point. People like to know about the details which help them make proper decisions. Speak the language of benefits but be honest. Do not promise what you cannot keep. It is easy to fall into a “one-time customer” trap but avoids that path. Maintaining great relationships with your new customers will help you keep them for longer and, who knows, maybe will make them ambassadors of your brand. Moreover, show pictures of your products or services. Take good photos. If need be, hire a professional photographer. Assure your customers they are not buying a pig in a poke.
- Provide something more than is expected, a kind of bonus.
People like bonuses. They help build positive emotions around your brand. They make customers feel happy and appreciated. As a result, the customers will strongly connect these positive emotions to your brand and the chances are you won’t be forgotten. Add samples, use a creative packaging system, add a funny note or an additional feature your customer didn’t pay for but which might be useful for them. Essentially, do whatever it is to distinguish yourself from other similar sellers.
3. Give clear and detailed information about the shipping.
What kind of details might your customers expect? First of all, they need to know about the costs and methods of shipping. Do not forget to include information about restrictions, provided there are such. Are you shipping overseas as well? Great! Make sure to include that. It is an excellent idea to provide your customers with the shipping status once they have made a purchase, especially if the goods you offer are expensive or even luxurious. Furthermore, it is a common practice to reward the ones who spend more than an average customer with a free shipping.
- Your customers must be informed about terms and conditions that rule in your world
Make sure these rules are simple, understandable and easily available to your customers so they do not have to spend time looking for them.
- The same applies to privacy policy.
Especially nowadays, with all that buzz around privacy, people are very careful about providing their personal data. It is extremely important you provide them with the full understanding of where this data goes. Notify your customers about the type of information you may collect and what exactly you share and with whom you share it. Be transparent.
- Ensure your company and your brand are well known for trustworthiness.
Should you have any certificates, licenses or testimonials, show them on your website to the rest of the world. Build credibility from day number one.
- Last but not least, be reachable!
Provide the exact name of your company, contact details and time frames within which the customers may contact you. If you use social media to stay in touch with your customers, provide the specific link. Think of creating a chatroom and make sure to be available during office hours.
To sum up, turning potential customers into your customers, and why not, faithful ones, is not an easy task to do. Although, if you prepare a solid action plan based on the above, you may be positively surprised with the results. Keep in touch with your customers. Support them during the whole process, not only in the beginning. Do not make mistakes. Deliver on time. Keep your promises. Make your employees be your brand ambassadors, too. Stand out from the crowds, go beyond regular, show your customers how much you care about them. If you show your customers loyalty, they will show you theirs. All your efforts will definitely pay off in the long term.