Digital Marketing, Small Business Strategist

Confident Marketer

  • Home
  • Get Started
    • Build Your Business Plan
    • Organize Your Marketing
    • Prevent Overwhelm
    • Gain Confidence
    • Products
  • Consulting & Coaching
    • CEO Circle Community
    • Business Consulting
    • One Time Consultation
  • Sue’s Blog
  • About
    • About Sue Painter
    • Testimonials
    • Leave A Testimonial
    • Media
    • Speaking
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Marketing and Business Development / Why Do Your Customers Buy From You?

Why Do Your Customers Buy From You?

April 11, 2010 by Sue Painter 18 Comments

Here’s a fun way to figure out why people are willing to get out their credit card to buy.  Ready?  Sit down and think about why YOU bought the last dozen items you spent money on.  You might be surprised at your reasons, and you can use the insight to help structure the offers you make to your own customers.

I just spent over $200 on Magellan’s travel supplies website.  Why?

  1. I got their new spring/summer catalog in the mail.  Magellan’s used a direct mail piece, their timing was right (I have several trips coming up), and the catalog renewed my TOMA (top of mind awareness) about Magellan’s.  The key here?  Timing! I regularly receive Magellan’s catalog and usually throw it out without looking.  But I’m excited about upcoming travel, and I needed to refresh a few things.  LESSON LEARNED: Keeping in touch with your customers over time is critical, even if they haven’t bought from you in a while.
  2. A notice on the catalog’s front cover offered free shipping on orders over $100.  I figured almost any order would come to that amount, and free shipping saves me money.  A deadline on the free shipping (May 9th) spurred me to take action now rather than lose the catalog on my desk.  LESSON LEARNED:  Make your special offers time-limited, with a relatively short time frame.

Let’s look at what I ordered and my reason for each purchase.

  • Spill-proof pouch – because the last time I was on a plane one of my face care products leaked out into my cosmetic bag.  This pouch SOLVES A PROBLEM.
  • Electronics travel case – I didn’t go looking for this item, but I saw it browsing the catalog.  I’m thinking “Hmm, I’m sure tired of all my various chargers and USB cables getting into a big knot at the bottom of my briefcase, so maybe I’ll try this.”  This purchase SOLVES A PROBLEM and was a win for Magellan’s because of 1)  A GOOD IDEA and 2) SUGGESTED SELLING.
  • Personalized luggage strap – This is actually a gift for my husband.  His luggage looks similar to many, and more than once he’s picked up someone else’s at the airport.  The strap WORKS AS A GIFT and helps SOLVE SOMEONE ELSE’S  PROBLEM.
  • Extra-large mesh pack-it cube – These things are hard to find in large sizes, so Magellan’s gets a star for carrying them.  They allow me to pack clothing inside my rolling duffel luggage and quickly pull out what I need without digging around.  If I get stopped for inspection, I can easily pull these out without re-shuffling and wrinkling my clothing.  I’ve used 2 gallon kitchen zipper bags, but the zippers don’t hold up to being open and closed over and over again, and the 2 gallon size is now hard to find.  These mesh cubes SOLVE A PROBLEM but also GIVE ME A FEELING OF LUXURY.  I get to graduate from packing my clothes in baggies.  🙂
  • Blackberry pouch – When I’m sight-seeing I try not to carry a purse, but I often need my phone and camera with me, and my pants usually have no pockets.  This handy little pouch hangs around the neck and will hold both my Blackberry and my small camera.  Perfect!  Again, solves a problem and makes something easier for me.
  • Walkstool – One of the downsides of having a new knee is that it’s still hard for me to stand on concrete for very long without pain.  This innovative product offers a sturdy, foldable instant stool but weighs very little, and can hang off a belt, a backpack, a purse, or my shoulder.  Next time I think I better not go on a walking tour because we’ll stand and listen to a guide for 15 minutes, I’ll be able to go and know I can sit when I need to.  HUGE problem solved for me and a solution I can live with (not too heavy or too bulky, small and easy to pack).
  • Inflatable neck pillow – I use one on planes, and foolishly over inflated mine a few trips ago.  POW!  It burst at 30,000 feet and that was the end of that!  I’ve looked around in airports but balked at paying $30.00.  Magellan’s had one on sale for $12.99.  What sold me?  REASONABLE PRICING and PROBLEM SOLVED.

As you can see, I’m a buyer who will spend for solving problems.  I also respond to suggested selling and to the feeling of having something a little fancier for myself.  But these are not the only reasons Magellan’s got $200 from me.  They are smart in how they set up their web site, too.

  1. Their website is easy to maneuver and loads quickly.
  2. They offer customer reviews of their products, which talked me into the stool and the Blackberry pouch.
  3. Their page for each item tells me immediately that the item is in stock.  (One of my pet peeves is ordering online only to find that the item isn’t due in for 30 days or so.)
  4. Their page for each item offers more pictures than the catalog, allowing me to “look” at items in detail.
  5. Their check-out process is easy.

Take a look at what you’ve spent money on and list the reasons why you bought.  You can then look at what you offer to others and think about whether your offers are attractive for those same reasons.  If they are not, tweak them and your sales copy, and see if your sales improve.  I bet they will!

(c) Sue Painter

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Filed Under: Marketing and Business Development Tagged With: Coaching for Small Business Owners, Customer Service, Small Business Tips

Get your copy of "20 Questions to Help You Expand Your Business Without Frustration or Overwhelm©"

I understand I will also receive email updates from Sue Painter or from the Confident Marketer. We never rent, sell, or share your contact information. See Privacy Policy​​ here.​

Related Posts

  • Does Your Website Confuse Potential Customers?
  • Matching Your Target Market – A Lesson From Mexican Entrepreneurs
  • Key Business Functions for Small Business Owners

Comments

  1. Jessica Eaves Mathews says

    May 2, 2010 at 10:41 pm

    Sue — This was an incredible exercise that was so instructive for me! Sometimes we get so caught up in the side of creating “unique” products and services that we forget that our real goal should always be to provide a solution for our clients or customers. So simple and yet so profound.
    Thank you for sharing!
    Jessica

    Reply
  2. Phil Dyer says

    April 27, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    Great tips on making it easy for people to give you money!

    Thanks so much…

    Phil

    Reply
  3. Christine McIvor says

    April 27, 2010 at 12:40 am

    These real-life lessons are brilliant to help anyone with an existing website/blog. Thanks for sharing Sue!

    Reply
  4. Terry Monaghan says

    April 25, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    Wow, Sue – what a great way to look at what I buy, and why people buy from me.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Goals Coaching with Lynn Moore says

    April 25, 2010 at 2:49 pm

    Sue, this is so interesting. I never would have thought to go back and reason out why I bought something and how it could be used to sharpen my sales tools! You genius, you!
    Lynn

    Reply
  6. Ellen Martin says

    April 23, 2010 at 1:52 pm

    Hi Sue,

    This is such a great post. Very helpful information to use in marketing going forward.

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    Ellen

    Reply
  7. Sue Painter says

    April 22, 2010 at 7:30 pm

    You’re welcome, Jenny!

    Reply
  8. Anita G. Wheeler says

    April 22, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    How very true. Your article sets the mind to looking at exactly what emotions are tied to to the decision to purchase. You really covered the subject and in such thought provoking and interesting way.

    Thanks Sue! AND…happy traveling!

    Reply
  9. Jenny Fenig says

    April 22, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    What a great idea, Sue! Buying is the ultimate in understanding the psychology of why we make decisions. Thanks for bringing to light a very real-world example and linking it back to our business.

    Much love,
    Jenny

    Reply
  10. Linda Jones says

    April 22, 2010 at 10:46 am

    Laura,
    That’s a great exercise to go through and ask yourself why you purchased things. It was also great info to hear what they do on their website that was so successful!
    Linda

    Reply
  11. Katherine C. H. E. says

    April 21, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    Thanks for the reminder of the pleasure of working with a system that works well! ♥Katherine

    Reply
  12. Sue Painter says

    April 21, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    Hi Laura,
    Thanks. I am forever enthralled over why people buy what they buy (and why they don’t, too!). Must be the social psychologist in me.
    Sue P.

    Reply
  13. Sue Painter says

    April 21, 2010 at 12:29 pm

    Thanks, Lisa. It was fun to write, but also made me realize what a buyer of “solutions” I am, ha!
    Sue P.

    Reply
  14. Laura Hollick says

    April 21, 2010 at 11:15 am

    Sue, I love how you analyzed your own buying patterns including what provoked you to buy and what the marketing did to inspire you to make a purchase.
    This is a great exercise to become aware of first in ourselves and then in our customers.

    Thanks for this powerful tip!

    Reply
  15. Lisa Manyon says

    April 21, 2010 at 8:09 am

    Sue,

    LOVE this article. So often businesses forget that marketing is a relationship building tool. That means you cannot use a “one and done” approach and expect to really connect and engage action and ultimately exchange (currency 🙂 )

    Excellent examples.

    Write on!~

    Lisa

    Reply
  16. Trudy Scott, Food-Mood Expert says

    April 21, 2010 at 2:12 am

    Thought-provoking indeed! PS Can I come on holiday with you?
    Trudy

    Reply
    • suepainter says

      April 21, 2010 at 6:21 am

      LOL Trudy. We’ll have to plan a business retreat trip sometime, and you can come.
      Sue P.

      Reply
  17. suepainter says

    April 12, 2010 at 5:25 am

    Thanks, Aaron!
    Sue P.

    Reply

Join the Conversation Cancel reply

Sue Painter

Search

JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK

Sue Painter, business consulting and coaching

Contact Sue

Voice: 865-414-3393
Skype: knoxvillesue
E-mail: Sue@ConfidentMarketer.com
Contact Form

Knowledge Center

Search

Meet Sue

Passionate about helping small business owners create income with confidence, clarity, and big vision. Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach, and expert author for ezinearticles.com and SelfGrowth.com.

EPC Insitute LogoBook Yourself Solid Coach Amazon Best Selling Author Certified Agile Marketing Specialist Badge Ezine Articles Expert Author Blogspot - Top 100 Business Coach Blog Award Find Sue Painter on Amazon Social Media Marketing Society Member

Affiliates • Refund Policy • Disclaimers and Legal Rights
Affiliate/Earnings Disclaimer • Terms of Use • Privacy Policy

© Copyright 2010 - 2021 Confident Marketer

Consulting and Online Training for Women Entrepreneurs
All Rights Reserved