On a recent trip out of town, I decided I was overdue for a haircut. I got on Yelp and found the nearest salon with good reviews, called them up & managed to get a same-day appointment. When I arrived, I was greeted by name – they extended a glass of cucumber water and escorted me to the chair. Before my haircut, I was treated to a complimentary 3-minute neck massage. At the end of my visit, they gave me a gift bag with a free hand lotion and coupons to be used at my next appointment! I mean…wow! I wish this place was local, because I’d be a regular! I got a bunch of free stuff, and I felt valued as a person. The quality of the haircut became totally irrelevant – the customer experience was paramount!
Let’s face it: it’s hard to convince customers to buy. People just don’t want to be sold things. Giving away free stuff is an awesome way to build trust and get them to try your product or service! After all, when they see how great it is, they’ll want to buy! It is one of the simplest ways to convince someone to try you out. You capture someone’s attention by offering things for FREE, and then you can focus on nurturing the relationship to the point of sale.
Why Do People Buy?
People are only motivated to buy products when they are convinced that it will improve their life in some way. They don’t want more junk filling up their house, or to waste money on a product they end up never using. There are a few techniques to connect to a customer and convince them to give your product a try. If you speak to a potential customer on an emotional level, you are likely to inspire them to want your product or service. If you connect emotionally AND offer logical solutions to their problems, you are much more likely to convince them to buy and genuinely like your product!
Your goal as a business owner is to convince your target consumer that your product can change their life. Of course, this is easier said than done. Convincing a customer that your product is the one for them can be a long process, and taking the time to build a relationship is crucial! Offering free stuff is a path to a relationship with your customer base. Showing your buyers that you are willing to give them something useful for FREE builds the interest that a customer has in your brand. When your customer feels like a person (and not just a sale), you begin to build trust with your target consumers.
Build Trust Between Your Customer and Your Brand
As you build a relationship with your customer, you should actively show them why your brand is worth knowing. The truth is that all the marketing in the world isn’t going to grow your business if customers have a negative experience interacting with you! You need to prove that your company is 100% there for your customers, and that you want what is best for them. By giving them free advice or free samples of your products, you show that the customers come first. Taking time to nurture your relationship with them shows that you value THEM more than their money. This reassures them that you and your products can be trusted.
An easy way to build trust with your customers is by offering agreements, such as guarantees or free assessments. When you have money back guarantees and no-commitment consultations, customers are more likely to try your product and buy it if they like it. They know they will be covered if something goes wrong, or if they find out the product is not useful to them. Offering this guarantee speaks volumes to the customer, strengthening their relationship with your brand. Once you have solidified their trust in your brand, customers typically become repeat buyers and, eventually, brand promoters.
Convert Customers to Brand Promoters
Ultimately, you want customers who are happy and TRUST you. If not, you may get a sale, but not repeat business. You will make some quick money, but you will miss a much greater opportunity to make an impact on someone’s life. When you matter to a customer, when you truly change their life for the better, they become a promoter of your brand. This should be the goal of any company–to convert customers to brand promoters. Brand promoters are the best type of advertising and it is completely FREE to YOU! You had better believe I”ll be recommending that salon to my friends and family! People listen to their friends and family when told about a product or service that has changed their life. Putting in time to build relationships with every single customer will return tenfold and keep your business growing!
Now that you understand why people need to be convinced to buy, it’s time for you to start thinking about what you can give away! Giving customers free advice or free samples shows that you are proud of your products. Freebies show potential customers that you believe your product can help them and that you are willing to let them try it risk free. Further, when your product or service does help them, you have started a relationship with the consumer off on a good foot. You have shown them that not only is your product worth buying, but your company is trustworthy, too! A simple freebie has the power to move someone from a potential customer to a brand promoter if you are willing to build trust between a customer and your brand.
Need help coming up with a giveaway that will grow your business? Set up a free consultation with LETSDEVELOP.TV and let us do the hard part for you! Contact us NOW!
