Why Do People Buy?

As solopreneurs, we often focus on customer characteristics but in the process we fail to figure out what’s inside our customers’ heads.

In his book, The Sales Bible: The Ultimate Sales Resource, Jeffrey Gitomer lists reasons why people buy products and services:

• To solve a problem

• They need it

• They think they need it

• To get a competitive edge

• To save money or to be more efficient

• To eliminate mistakes

• To feel good

• To show off

• To change a mood

• To solidify a relationship

• They were talked into it

• It sounded too good to refuse

• They got a great deal (or thought they did)

Gitomer writes: “I’m way more interested in buyers’ philosophies than their characteristics. But I can only get to their philosophy if I recognize and understand their traits. If you’ve uncovered their ‘type’ but you’ve said something that they’re philosophically opposed to, you’re dead.”

What do you think of Gitomer’s list? Would you add anything to it?