Need, desire, or interest?

Monday, October 01, 2007  by Susan Julien-Willson
Category: sales, selling, customer, retailing, buying

In a past blog, I referred to discovering a customer's need ... but maybe need is too limiting. We don't all buy based on need.

What are some of the reasons a customer buys a product from you? Is it curiosity? Is it desire? Is it comfort? convenience? security? protection? to look younger? feel more energetic? feel pretty? lose weight? appear intelligent? to make someone else happy? to take care of someone else? to appear to be a good busy super mom?

How do you get past the marketing and sales lingo that's tired and old ... how do you "get real" with family and friends and sell product to them? 

Do people buy emotionally or logically?

 You tell me!

Comments

# Bridgett said on October 1, 2007 2:29 PM:

Hi Susan,

Good clarification. It's what the customer THINKS they NEED. Most people buy on emotion. I bought something yeterday that I "logically" knew wasn't worth ten dollars. BUT, I logically decided that I didn't care. I wanted it anyway. :)

.

I don't know how it is in other countries, but the fact that Starbucks is so successful, is a prime example that real need is not the driving reason why people buy what they buy in the United States.

.

My moral dilemna is do I help people see that every time they make those types of decisions/purchases there are long-term consequences? Or do I participate and take advantage of them and sell them products that they don't really need or can get for less price?

 I love how you make me (and all of us) think, Bridgett. I also LOVE your comment about how you logically decided you didn't care. I've done that with clothing and jewelry--it depends how you look at it, I suppose. Yes, the clothing item or jewelry might not really be worth a particular dollar value-huge markup on fashion, but if it makes me feel pretty, matches my outfit perfectly, or brings me pleasure, isn't that worth something? At least I think so as the purchaser. True? sjw

# CJ said on October 1, 2007 2:48 PM:

Even though a client/prospect may have a need, it's really suspect until you check it out and ask the right questions. One book that has been instrumental to me in understanding asking the right questions to get to an explicit need/hot button is S.P.I.N. Selling. It breaks down the sales process of asking questions to get to the heart of the matter without all of the sales speak gimmick questions like "If I could push a button and make things better, what would you like to change?". It really encourages you to dialogue with the prospect to understand better what their true needs are. Since everybody's needs are different you have to attack it from a general route and then drill down to specific need (s), assuming that the prospect wants to even fix the problem/issue they have. I'm sure there are other books out there that may be a little more simpler to understand and digest (SPIN book was a little deep at times for me being an engineer by trade)and if anyone has suggestions please provide them cause I am always looking. Hope that helps.

 Great recommendation. Thanks!

You heard CJ. More suggestions and ideas, please. Thanks to all of you for making this blog so valuable for all of us. Keep the comments coming! sjw

# Nick Kobelja said on October 1, 2007 3:04 PM:

CJ,

My "Bible" is SPIN selling.  That being said, I'm not experienced at sales (really).

I asked on another blog:

We (Noobs) sell to friends and family.  During conversation, you might uncover a "need".  How do you turn friendly/family conversation to a sales conversation without degrading trust?  Or making people not want to talk to you :)

I would love to hear from folks who have been through that.  I'm very, very careful not to sell to friends and family until I'm real comfortable with doing it without degrading the relationship.

Thanks all.

# CJ said on October 1, 2007 3:43 PM:

Nick,

It all depends on your level of comfortableness (if there is such a word-LOL!), but in the end, you may be passing up very good sales and profit going in your pocket by waiting until you get really comfortable or like I've heard alot of IBOs say "until I get more successful" in the business. The only way that happens is doing it. One of the best ways to do that in my opinion is to offer samples with no attachments to it. One of my customers is my cousin who came from me giving their mother the SA8 trial pack (which Susan can you tell me why they are phasing that out-that was easy sales for SA8 and pre-wash spray-can we get the pre-wash spray in that size or sample sizes?). She's now an advocate for the pre-wash spray and now is interested in the business. Another instance was my boss (yes, my boss) whose husband had really bad acne, at least that's what she told me. She mentioned to me that he was going to try Pro-Active Solutions. So I offered to her that her husband could try mine risk free and if he liked it, he could buy it. If not, he could just return the set to me within a week of using it which I would return with Quixtar's money back guarantee. Well, afer using it, it cleared up his skin and he bought the system-same with another co-worker who actually used Pro-Active and they bought our system because of the results they saw. Yes, I was good friends with my boss and her husband, but I didn't do anything but offer it as a sample and if he liked it, he could buy it. In casual conversation, your friends or family may have a need that can be solved by one of our products/services/or the business itself. Say they have allergies really bad this time of year, then you can say "I don't know if I told you, but through my business, we have an all natural allergy supplement that works within 3 days or less. I'll get you some free samples and tell me how it works for you". That's about as non-intrusive as you can get without degrading the relationship. If it works for them you have a new customer and maybe an IBO down the road. If not, you just created yourself a tax deduction. Either way it's a win for you. Hope that helps.

Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas. I'll check into your question about the trial pack. sjw

# CJ said on October 1, 2007 4:02 PM:

Bridgett,

To answer your question on:

"Or do I participate and take advantage of them and sell them products that they don't really need or can get for less price?"

I once had a client who wanted a MP3 Player we had on what used to be known as Hot Buys on Quixtar. It was reasonablly priced, until I put it in the shopping cart and because it was coming from a seperate vendor, that $45 mp3 player turned into a very expensive $80 mp3 player. I also saw it on walmart.com for the same price but much lower shipping. Because I was interested in keeping that customer relationship for life and to show them that I was looking out for their best interest, I told them to go to walmart and get it much cheaper. In the end, she didnt go with Walmart but went with me through one of our partner stores through shop.com (tigerdirect-I hate we dont have them anymore). If it's an outrageous price in the end and you want that customer for repeat purchases on other things, it's something that you as a business owner must decide for yourself. At the same time, the guy who owns the convienence store on the corner knows for a fact that his products are much higher price than what is available for at the store, but if he told everyone to go somewhere else, he'd be out of business. So really, you just got to pick your battles.

# rdknyvr said on October 1, 2007 4:42 PM:

Susan, I'm re-posting a comment by someone named Wearyeyed -- a successful IBO -- from IBOFightBack's site... it seems highly relevant: http://www.thetruthaboutamway.com/index.php/component/option,com_fireboard/func,view/id,7449/catid,7/

Yet, ironically, I have never "sold" a single product or IBOship.

NEVER.

I did, however, waste hundreds of hours TRYING to sell the opportunity and the products. It doesn't work.

Now, many people chose to do the business when I shared the information, and many more chose to buy stuff when I shared the information, and if IBOs don't get it through their noggins that people HATE to be sold, but love to buy, building a Quixtar business will be painful...

I promise.

# Bridgett said on October 1, 2007 10:07 PM:

Susan,

LOL..It IS a piece of jewelry! A ring. It's probably a 10-cent piece of black wire, bent in a really neat way, with these two little orangey stone-looking oval-shaped things at each end. After I bought this, I was thinking that I should maybe look it to promoting the Personal Accents line a little more! :)

That's great, Bridgett. Promote Personal Accents? Excellent idea. I happen to be a HUGE fan of the collection ... and also the creative lead on the project. Have you seen the latest catalog? It ROCKS! It even has men's jewelry in it. There are also kits you can order to help you sell Personal Accents. I suggest parties as a way of selling the collection since it's a tough sell out of a catalog ... people like to see it, touch it, try it on, oooh and ahhhh. I hope to have a PA party in November. sjw

# Gene K said on October 5, 2007 12:30 AM:

I have sold a wide variety of products, to stores and to end-users, beverages to office furniture to promo items.

Relationships are very important in any sales endeavor, and part of that relationship that you cultivate is TRUST that you are going to present them, the customer, with a GOOD VALUE for the price paid.

You have to be aware of your market, ie economic strata, and are the lines of products you are selling able to be sold competitively in your area.  

You as an IBO are trying to change buying habits, in addition to being a problem solver.  Some coreline products, are not marketable in my area, it is not that they don't work, its that the dollars don't work for my customer's budget.

I can send them to the WalMart web site as a gesture of goodwill in trying to solve a problem, but why should I do that?

Thanks for your insightful comment ... I didn't think about changing buying habits. Could you elaborate on that more, GK? sjw

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