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Hot then cold. Yes then No. Is this your customer?

When you meet a potential buyer do you jump right into your sales pitch, or do you take the time to understand your buyer’s needs and personality?

While it would be nice if there was a one-size-fits-all approach to customers, the truth is that there are three kinds of buyers. Selling well is about creating relevancy, and aligning your service or product with the buying needs of your customer.

In my last blog we met the first kind of buyer, the Crystal Clear Buyer. Remember her? She knows what she wants and makes decisions easy. Selling to her is pretty cut and dry; she likes it or she doesn’t, and her decision is final.

Today we’re going to discuss the second kind of buyer. She’s a harder nut to crack. But identify her, and you will best understand how to help her.

Meet the Ruminating Buyer

The Ruminating Buyer thinks she knows exactly what she wants, but it’s actually quite difficult for her to make a decision. She would like to appear as though she is confident and clear about her needs, but you will quickly find that she is anything but.

The Ruminating Buyer has some level of commitment phobia. She doesn’t trust herself completely to make the best choice.  And she second-guesses her decisions … right down to the wire. She runs hot and cold because she has made costly buying mistakes in the past. 

To identify this buyer, watch for these clues:

·      She is ready to buy and then has one more questions

·      She comes up with excuses that contradict things she previously said. 

Ruminating Buyers tend to ‘roller-coaster’ the most.  And at some point she will make a decision. Even if that decision is to decide later. You will often have to call her bluff to get her to decide. 

How To Approach The Ruminating Buyer:

The secret to handling the Ruminating Buyer is to clearly understand her emotional needs, and handle her delicate ego by holding her hand through the decision-making process.

Ask her questions that get her talking so you can understand what she needs and wants.  Watch out for contradictory statements and clarify them should they arise.

Empathize with her situation and validate her feelings.  But be careful: Resist giving away too much free anything or you'll become engaged in her struggle.

Find out what criteria she needs in order to feel comfortable making a buying decision.  Chances are good she will not have thought of this, and it will help you know what to do and keep you from spending too much time on emotional issues.

Use customer stories to build her confidence, and offer references if she needs that extra level of comfort.  By doing this you display your assuredness in your offering while demonstrating compassion.

If you feel like you are spending too much time on this buyer, decide for yourself if you want her as a customer.

It can take moxie and character to pass on a client, but in the end you can be relived you did. If you decide you don’t want this client or customer, let her go. If you do wish to have her as a client, ask her to make a final decision and then don’t spend any more time here.

Next week we’ll discuss our final kind of buyer. She may just be the most challenging of all....

Please share your roller-coaster stories!