The modern customer’s buying experience has undergone a drastic transformation with such a range of information now on the internet. Potential buyers have the power to conduct extensive research, evaluate reviews, check out your company’s credentials, and view instructional videos—heavily scrutinizing products or services and website content from every possible angle prior to even engaging with your brand.

A statistic worth noting: the majority of purchasing decisions today occur before the customer even contacts a company. A decade ago, that number hovered at 20-40%, but has since surged to a striking 70%!

Before prospective customers even contact you, they’ll generally have a good idea of whether or not they need your product or service. They don’t need to be sold on the idea, but they need to be sold on you. 

And it’s crucial to understand that fear is a central factor in the buying decision-making process. 

Customers fear making a mistake or being ripped off, which can deter them from buying if you aren’t catering to their needs. Transparency and honesty should also take precedence over conventional marketing tactics. Right from the start, critical questions customers might have about your products or services should be addressed.

Providing them with professional and informative guidance shows them your expertise while instilling confidence in their purchase. By creating helpful content that informs, educates, and reassures prospective buyers, companies can build trust and credibility. 

That’s why openness is at the heart of the They Ask, You Answer philosophy found in Marcus Sheridan’s book, which inspired this blog post.

He mentions four important factors that any business owner should keep in mind when presenting your offerings to your consumer.

• Price: Cost is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we’re buying something. If you’re looking for a specific item but aren’t finding clear prices, you can easily shop elsewhere by hitting the back button. Make sure pricing is clear, and if it’s not a cookie cutter situation for every customer, reflect this back to your users so that they know what to expect before they contact you.
• Honesty: Do you address your products pros and cons? Marcus Sheridan achieved this by writing an article for his company, River Pools and Spas, which candidly addressed the limitations of fiberglass swimming pools. Potential buyers found their way to the page and were enlightened about the drawbacks of these types of pools, and it didn’t even keep them from making a purchase. The article resulted in over $3 million in revenue. He had nothing to hide from his customers and was able to cultivate arguably one of the most important elements to an owner/customer relationship—trust.

• Comparison: People love comparisons. Customers often compare similar products, and a company that provides a genuine comparison between its offerings and those of its competitors will earn the trust of potential customers. Being transparent and confident in making such comparisons can help establish credibility with customers. In another article, the author objectively evaluated products comparable to his in the market, even showing that some were superior. This frankness and integrity endeared customers to the company, driving traffic to their website and boosting sales.

• Reviews: Again, honesty is crucial. Building trust with customers is essential to any company’s success and reviews can foster that trust. A company website that shares information freely available elsewhere can create positive brand sentiment through an act of transparency, so be sure to share reviews on your website!

Providing informative and helpful content throughout your site or online store that addresses your customers needs, worries, and concerns can ultimately lead to satisfied consumers who are more likely to make a purchase. Keeping these points in mind will lead to customer education and engagement and help establish relationships that are based on trust, which all means better user experience and more sales—a win-win situation.

Use your website as an interactive platform to get your customers talking! If you need assistance with meeting your customers demands for your online store, let us know! Fill out the form below and our experts at Jason Hunter Design would be glad to help you optimize your e-commerce store’s user experience.

Reference Credit: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/they-ask-you-answer-en