We all encounter indecisive customers at some point in our sales career. Let’s face it. With now-a-days huge proliferation of products and services, many look-alike solutions, and fierce competition, customers may become hesitate to buy and confused to choose their best solution. In an age when every product promises to be “buzz-worthy,” “innovative,” or “different” it can be difficult to elevate your brand above the noise and clutter. So how can you help your indecisive customers try your product? Here are five best practices for successfully selling your product or service that truly stands out from the crowd.
Five Ways to Help Indecisive Customers Try Your Product
1. Know your Customer.
Understanding exactly who your customers are and what is important to them is crucial to the success of your product or service. To move product, you need to appeal to your target demographic on multiple levels – everything from the product itself to packaging will play a role, but if you’re unsure of who that is, or are trying to appeal to multiple targets, this can be challenging.
Patricia Seybold, author of “The Customer Revolution,” says: “We are in the midst of a profound revolution — the customer revolution. And it’s bigger than the Internet revolution. Customers have taken control of our companies’ destinies. Customers are transforming our industries. And customers’ loyalty — or lack thereof — has become increasingly important.” Customers have become increasingly sophisticated in their buying strategies. More and more, they have come to expect value-added products and services and long-term commitments. Selling to today’s customers starts with getting on the customers’ agenda and carefully identifying their needs, wants, and buying conditions. Salespeople who have a better understanding of their customers’ buying process, buying behavior, and needs are better able to produce satisfied customers who are willing to pay more!
2. Embrace your Unique Selling Proposition.
In another post I have written: “Understanding Your Unique Selling Proposition” here, I have discussed how important to know your product or service’s Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. To help your indecisive customers try your product or service, embracing your USP becomes essential. So once you know and understand your customer, you’ll be tasked to clearly differentiate your solution. Give your indecisive customers a reason to try your product. They want something that will entice them.
Remember, your main job is to become your customer’s consultant and problem solver. The customer is a person to be served not a person to be sold. You need to help your customer make an intelligent decision that they perceive of great value to them. You should not try to overpower the customer with high-pressure sales presentation. Instead, fully understand your customer’s behavior, needs and wants, then clearly and effectively present your solution’s unique selling proposition that solves your indecision customer’s problem.
3. Tell a Story
Every brand has a story. It’s your job to tell it and tell it well, because chances are, it will speak volumes about what makes your brand different from competitors. For your indecisive customers, the story should be relevant. One of the best ways to tell a story in this case is to use testimonials (reviews and comments from your satisfied customers).
Using testimonials will transform your sales presentation into a credible, unbiased recommendation for your product or service. In fact, testimonials build trust, help overcome skepticism, and substantiate your claims. A good testimonial endorses the key benefits of your solution from someone your customer can relate to. Telling a story to your indecisive customers using testimonials will help them try your product or solution, for sure.
4. Reduce Post-Purchase Dissonance
Dissonance-reducing buying behavior occurs when customers are highly involved with an expensive, infrequent, or risky purchase but see little difference among brands or solutions. This occurs, for example, when a customer plans, during a vacation, to rent a hotel room and confused by choosing among similar hotels within the same price range, location, or service. It also occurs when customers buying carpet because they face high-involvement decision because carpet is expensive and self-expressive. But they may consider most carpet brands in a given price range to be the same. It is at this situation when the customer is most indecisive.
Customers exhibiting this type of behavior under this situation might experience post-purchase dissonance (after-sales discomfort). It occurs when they notice certain disadvantages of the purchased solution or hear favorable things about those not purchased. To help your indecisive customers try your product or service you must reduce this post-purchase dissonance. You should provide evidence and support to help your customers feel good about their choices. You have to proof your claims using various proof devices such as: testimonials (as discussed above), product demonstration, product model, sample, photos, illustrations, brochures, graphs, charts, or test results. In addition, providing an outstanding customer service after the sales will surely facilitate and ease up the decision made by your customer. This is discussed in the fifth point below.
5. Provide Outstanding Service after the Sales
The relationship between a seller and a buyer seldom ends when the sale is made. In most cases, customer expectations increase after the sale. Several important studies indicate strong, positive impact of customer satisfaction on company profits when the company provides outstanding customer service after the sales. So why is that important for your indecisive customers? Simply, it builds confidence in your solution and your company. This confidence is essential to help the customer try your product. it provides trust and peace of mind for the customers to make their choices.
In fact, today’s demanding customers want long-term value relationships with their solution providers: you, your products or services, and your company (yes, the three of you!). They want simple, convenient, and trustworthy exchange of value that will guarantee their satisfaction. It is through providing outstanding customer service what you ensure all of these and help your indecisive customers try your products or services with confidence. When you close the deal with your customers, follow through on promises made with them and ensure their satisfaction. Do not underestimate this factor!
So what do you think? The above five best practices help your indecisive customers try your solution. I would like to know your opinion and whether you have any additional suggestions. Feel free to comment.
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