Buying Choices Every Customer Makes
What choices do you make when you are shopping? New shoes, a dress or a shirt, or perhaps a new car, what do you decide? Buying choices can be challenging.
I’m thinking about an ice cream sundae.
This smartphone is probably outdated, what are the newest features in phones?
My car has been paid off for two-years, maybe I’ll get a new one.
When a hot new technology is introduced the first brand to bring it market has an advantage. The buyers only need to decide if they will buy, they don’t really have choices about brand.
Competition Can Be Good
In many places, there is a gas station and convenience store on each side of the street. At the exit of the highway, to the left and to the right there are food options. When you find a TGI Friday’s you may also notice nearby a Ruby Tuesday.
Certainly, there may be many reasons for this. One competitor may be trying to beat the other, show their dominance, become the best. Run the other out of town.
On the other hand, we may wonder if it would be better to be the only place in town?
Buying Choices
In many buying situations the buyer is making two initial choices.
The first decision is if they will buy. They may want the ice cream sundae but they have to decide if it is within their caloric allowance.
Competition sometimes answers the question the first question. When we see a McDonalds to our left, and across the street, to the right, a Burger King, we may now accept the if, we only have to decide which.
Two competing gas stations at the highway may assume the if has been answered. Buyers are exiting, now they’ll decide which one they’ll choose.
Competition sometimes means there is only one question left to answer.
Selling the idea is sometimes the biggest hurdle.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
