The Start Up Expert

Target the Buy Triggers

Too often, I see new entrepreneurs far too focused on what they have to sell, rather than focused on how they can help their client resolve issues and achieve a better life in some way. This makes it unnecessarily hard to sell.

First – you need to understand what makes a potential client buy. This may be simpler than you think. There are a known set of common buy triggers that most people respond to. Once you know what the triggers are, you can wrap your marketing message around them. You and your potential clients will both benefit. You will benefit because this will make it a whole lot easier to sell your offerings. Your potential clients benefit because they can easily understand why they might benefit from your services.

Here are some of the most powerful reasons why people buy.

• Money (both saving it and making it)
• Time (saving time)
• Relationships (finding, improving or ending)
• Health
• Peace of mind

These powerful buy triggers should give a great clue to new entrepreneurs on how to position their services and create a powerful marketing message around them.
Here is an example that I recently worked through with one of my clients. She is a personal organizer and is amazing and cleaning up closets, wardrobes and spaces in people’s homes. She can position her company as:
Example 1: I make your family’s closets and wardrobes organized and tidy.
OR
Example 2: I replace the stress of mess and clutter with spaces for family and fun.

Notice that both marketing messages offer the same service. They both address the same problem. But they are not at all equal in appeal. Which message do you think provides the stronger trigger for the potential client to hire the organizer? Of course, Example 2 is using both the relationship trigger (fun with the family) AND the Peace of mind trigger (get rid of stress) to position the product to be more attractive to the potential client. The potential client is probably imagining a tidy children’s playroom with beautifully organized toys that she can find whenever she needs them, and the family enjoying fun and quality time together in a harmonious environment. This is much more emotionally appealing than just the vision of a tidy closet.
What if you really cannot find a way to relate your service to any of these major buy triggers? You probably can if you get creative. But if you really can’t, then honestly, you may find it a little tough to sell your service. Are you sure your idea is making sense as a viable business proposition?