Communicating with a Greater Impact

Do you strive to encourage more people to do business with you? Do you aim to deliver a message people find irresistible? Read on and find out how to make your voice heard, so your customers cannot help but buy from or engage with you.  

Understand your customer’s motivation

It is peculiar that when marketers are asked about their ideal customers, they describe who they wish their customers were, rather than describing their existing customers. Usually, they know what their customers need, but they cannot describe what motivates them to take action. It is important to point out that, as a rule, motivation rather than needs plays a crucial role in your customers’ purchasing decisions. Basically, the intention to act depends on our ability to convince ourselves, namely our motivation. When you make your customers an offer, they begin either to convince themselves to take action or talk themselves out of taking action. Therefore, as marketers, we should stress how we can get people to persuade themselves to take action rather than focusing on their needs. 

There are two kinds of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is based on external factors like money or recognition. While intrinsic motivation is inherent to an individual’s character, these can be accomplishment and pride. However, it often happens that customers are not ready to change something about themselves, even if you make them a great offer. To remedy this, it is your responsibility to help people learn to think differently. Try tapping into your customers’ intrinsic motivational factors. Pay attention to what they want rather than forcing offers you think they need. If you want your customers to purchase your product or service, you need to help these people convince themselves that this is something they want and have to take action. 

Words that compel consumers to act

Deep inside, the majority of people want to feel capable, smart, and good. Decisions that they make are powered by the strive to achieve these states of mind. Everything people do, even if the result of their behavior is negative, there is often a positive intention. If you understand that people are motivated to act from the intention to see themselves or to be seen as capable, smart, and good, you will find out that some of the marketing messages are backward. Companies often attempt to persuade their customers to take action by mentioning that what they are doing is detrimental for them. However, keep in mind that if you point out to your audience that the things they do are bad for them, they will be less likely to convince themselves to follow your advice and change their behavior. 

Marketers often emphasize the problem making it more significant so that we can offer a solution. It is important to remember that this approach can be quite problematic, even more so when the presented solution requires the customer to commit long-term. It is much more effective to point out the benefits rather than focusing on the problems. Build on what people already want. If you meet your customers where they are, emphasizing what they believe and attaching those beliefs to your solutions, there is no need to convince them of anything. They will convince themselves.