Proven ways for securing customer bonds
For successful customer-relationship-building professionals, discovering customers’ motivation for buying is like finding a gold mine. But how can you do that? According to Pamela N. Danziger, a leading customer relationship consultant, you first have to get inside the head of your fast–moving customer.
Danziger conducted her own research with surveys, interviews, and focus groups to uncover significant consumer marketing trends across a range of product categories. Her findings are detailed in her new book, Why People Buy Things They Don’t Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior
The buying experience matters a lot. The product purchased is not the buyer’s main motivator any more. Marketers should plan communication strategies around delivering a powerful and memorable customer experience.
Make the experience “touching.” The shopping experience should be emotional — consumers want to be touched. “Emotion is at the foundation of people buying things they don’t need,” Danziger explains.
Cocooning is so “last year.” The stay–at–home and feather–the–nest trends that dominated consumer culture for the last twenty years have been replaced with consumers’ need to “connect.” Since people want to build relationships, marketers should plan customer shopping experiences that make connections and build customer loyalty.
Don’t forget to “close the deal.” Emotions may bring customers in the door, but rational justifiers clinch the sale by providing “permission” to buy. Danziger has identified 14 distinct “justifiers,” both simple and complex, that give customers good reasons to purchase.
Make it fun and memorable. Consumers want a shopping experience that’s entertaining and mentally stimulating. You’ll be most successful if you can ensure this.
For even more advice, download a free report on customer relationship marketing.
