I have a question for you. What’s the major difference between a candy bar and an automobile? Well, obviously there’s a major, major difference in price between the two. But the other big difference is the thought process and buying process that a consumer goes through when choosing both of them, and in this video, I want to talk to you about the psychology and the process that a prospect goes through when they’re deciding to buy something.
if they can figure that out, one of two things is going to happen. They’re going to be able to either book an appointment more effectively or they’re going to be able to provide the prospect with the necessary and needed valuable content that will help them to continue their buying process.
What I want to talk to you about is something called buying moments. Now, regardless of whatever you’re buying out there, there’s a thought process and psychology behind the process of going from a thought in your head to actually separating yourself from the money that is required to purchase that item, whatever it is. Again, whether it’s a candy bar, a car, cosmetic dental implants, whatever it is.
So, let’s stick with the whole idea behind buying a vehicle. Now, everyone, when they’re buying a vehicle, goes through some kind of a purchasing process and typically it starts with research. Now, a couple of years ago, Google actually came out with this report that said that there were five major moments in the purchasing process of a consumer when it came to buying a car. Now, as the business owner, you might be asking, “Well, how do I get in front of a consumer at every point?”
And the reality is you can get in front of them during some moments, but not all moments, through your marketing. Because some of the moments, especially at the very beginning, are very personal to a prospect. So, what are these five moments that a few years ago Google has identified in the buying process of a consumer when it comes to purchasing a vehicle?
Well, the first is, “What am I looking for?” So, just as an example, a young guy in his thirties, married, two young kids, thinks to himself, “I’ve just started to see some success. I want to buy some kind of a sports car.” That’s his decision. He’s getting a sports car. The next step is he needs to take a step back and think about it. He really wants a sports car, but he thinks, “You know what? I have a little family, a young family, a growing family, maybe a sports car isn’t the best decision. Let’s go with some kind of an SUV.”
So, at that point they’ve figured out, that sports car, it’s not really right for him and an SUV is the better decision. It’s at this point in the third decision where a business like a dealership becomes a lot more prevalent in the buying process. So, after this consumer has figured out what they want to buy an SUV, the next thing they need to figure out is are they going to be able to afford it?
Now typically they might go to a manufacturer website, they’ll look at some local dealerships, figure out what’s in his budget. They can typically figure out what a lease payment might be, a finance payment. So, from there they need to figure out where the heck are they going to buy this car. And obviously they’re going to turn online, start looking at reviews, start looking at maps to figure out where they’re going to purchase.
And then the last step of it is are they getting a deal on this? And typically at this point, they’re going to pull out their phone, whether they’re at the dealership slot or not, to shop other prices to see if they’re getting a fair price on this vehicle. Now, at any point throughout these moments through a purchasing process, they may call up the business with some questions and when they do call, it’s up to your appointment coordinators to try and figure out where are they in their buying process, what level are they at in their buying process?
And if they can figure that out, one of two things is going to happen. They’re going to be able to either book an appointment more effectively or they’re going to be able to provide the prospect with the necessary and needed valuable content that will help them to continue their buying process. And the more quality follow up that you provide to that prospect in giving them the information that they need to better make a purchasing decision, the more likely it’s going to be that they’re coming to your business versus someone else.
Make sure to check out my latest Youtube video where I explain the buying moments in deep detail.