Feed the need: find out what motivates your customers

Custom Home, July-August, 2004 by Paul Montelongo

Every prospective customer has a motive behind his interest in your business. If you can determine this motivating factor, you'll be way ahead of your competition by knowing how to most effectively approach prospective clients and what will help to close the deal for each individual customer. Here are the five most common motivating factors in prospective customers:

* Urgency. Some event or situation is causing your prospective customer to take immediate action. For example, a customer who will be relocating to your area in only a few months would be heavily motivated by a sense of urgency.

* Perception of Need. I have high-speed Internet access in my office because my perception is that I need it to keep up with the fast-paced business world even though regular dial-up service will get me on the Internet just as well. I have attached that need to progress and profits. Your customers will do the same with your houses. It is your job to locate what they need in a house and even to encourage that need.

* Desire. You may be surprised that your customers will want things more often than they need them. The reason they desire a certain product is fueled by two factors. First is that having the best, newest, first, or rarest commodity is a huge motivating factor. Second is peer influence: What will your customer's friends, family, or associates think if they buy your product or service? Don't underestimate peer influence as a sales motivating factor.

* Efficiency. Efficiency is a huge motivating factor in today's fast-paced society. When you can demonstrate to your prospect that your product will legitimately save time and effort, you may likely have a sale. Many busy customers are even wilting to pay extra if it means saving time and effort.

* Validation. If your prospective customers can justify their purchase, they will buy. Validation is the process they go through to prove to themselves that they made the right buying decision. Prove to them why working with your company is justifiable.

Be a sales detective to discover why your prospects buy and what motivates them to do business with you. Knowing what pushes their buttons will allow you to emphasize to your prospects what is really important to them.

Paul Montelongo has been a builder for more than 23 years and is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant to the construction industry. Visit Paul at www.contractorofchoice.com.