Catching people ready to buy vs. warming up potential buyers?

People go through a pretty well-defined process before they make anything but a pure impulse buy. Even impulse buyers go through a shorter, often subconscious version of the same process.

1. They aren't aware of a problem or desire, so there's no want.
2. They become aware.
3. They explore the issue seeking information.
4. They seek alternatives that could provide what they want.
5. They narrow the alternatives to what they believe is the best one.
6. They act on that decision (i.e., they buy).

The only people who may react favorably to a straight up sales pitch are the folks at stage 6. They know what they want and are ready to buy. Most marketers seem to want to focus on this step, because it's the most direct route to getting paid. Complicating matters is the fact that the number of people at this step is the smallest and the number of competitors the greatest.

Here's one approach...

1. They aren't aware of a problem or desire, so there's no want.

These people are going to be nigh impossible to sell to. Your best bet at this stage is to entertain them and start becoming a known, liked and trusted commodity. Impulse sales are possible if you know your market well enough.

2. They become aware.

Still not a particularly easy sale, your best approach here is to help them define the problem or desire. Prepare them for the next step. A great place to build trust and start guiding them in the direction you want them to go.

3. They explore the issue seeking information.

A time for more education, and for establishing authority. Again, you can lay the groundwork for the next step.

4. They seek alternatives that could provide what they want.

Okay, the pre-selling starts in earnest here. You want to keep the trust and authority position, so you provide the alternatives along with pro's and con's. It starts becoming apparent that you favor one alternative over the others.

5. They narrow the alternatives to what they believe is the best one.

If you've done your job, one alternative will look better than any of the others. Now all you have to do is point them to your provider of choice (your product or the affiliate offer you are promoting).

6. They act on that decision (i.e., they buy).

You make the connection, facilitating them in acquiring the thing they want. Notice, I didn't say anything about 'selling them something'.

That's the complete stack, and people will enter at all stages.

Two things to note:

> Unless your target market is sufficiently narrow, a small or one-person operation will have a hard time covering all stages. My opinion is that you start with the #6's and work your way backwards.

> It won't work unless you truly have your buyer's best interests at heart. There are very few marketers who can fake it well enough to maintain over the long haul. I know I can't, so I have to keep it real.