written by
Chris Gardener

I Know People Need What I Do – But How Can I Tell Them?

Business Strategy 1st F - Financial Security 3 min read

I’m a coach. And I can help anyone with overwhelm.

What does ‘overwhelm’ mean to you? Nothing? Something?

If it’s the latter, you’d probably be up for having a chat with me. But those of you to which overwhelm means very little... well, I’m going to have a hard time convincing you to invest in my services.

That is, of course, unless I do my homework. You see, I know that my solutions help people escape busyness and have financial security - and that relates directly to feelings of being overwhelmed.

I therefore understand how to find the right prospects, identify problems they’re not aware of, and tell them they need me.

How to convince customers to buy - there are no ‘tricks’

Your clients care about what they want - not what you do.

Search the web, and you’ll find ‘tricks to convince clients to buy’, and other such guides.

Ignore them.

A customer’s decision to buy from you will depend on how much their issue, problem, or desire is affecting their life. You can’t trick them into buying. Nor should you. You’re there to serve them and make their life better.

It’s worth bearing in mind that a massive 87% of buying decisions start with research online. Therefore, the way to convince people to buy from you is to find those who have identified their problem, or start people on the journey to find a solution if they don’t know the problem exists.

Sound tricky? It really isn’t.

influence buying decisions

Factors that influence buying decisions

In practically every market, potential customers can be divided into three categories:

1. They KNOW their problem, have looked at solutions and have started the process of choosing who to hire or what to buy.

2. They’ve identified their problem but AREN’T SURE if there’s a solution available.

3. They’re completely UNAWARE they have a problem - or don’t realise its impact.

Influencing the buying decision gets harder the further down that list you go.

Those in category one are without doubt easier to influence, but they’re also fewer in number, resulting in lots of competition.

Most people actually sit within the third category. If you approach them and say “hey, we’ve got this widget - you’re going to love it”. They’ll more than likely respond with “thanks, but I don’t need that”.

So, how do you do you win them over?

How to motivate customers to buy your product

When you identify customers who sit in the third category (or the second one, for that matter), you need to talk to them about what IS relevant to them.

Half of consumers are likely to switch brands if their needs aren’t anticipated. But that means you can swoop in first.

Listen to their problems and pain points, and reflect back what you’ve heard, to build trust.

Talk to them about how your product or service relates to their life. Explain what it feels like, and how it has affected you, or others you've dealt with previously. Give examples of how you helped someone similar to them overcome an issue.

After a short while, they’ll say, “yes, that’s me, too!” - and that means you’re in. The conversation will open and you can reveal how your business will provide the solution they now understand is required.

Without that relevancy, they simply won’t hear you. This is why you need to avoid telling them what you do. Instead, talk about their own world and help them realise they might need some help.

The best news? You’ll be there, right at the moment they realise they need you. There’s no better time to get in front of a prospect!