11 Jul, 2018 By Wayne Wang
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Let’s get one thing straight right from the start; this isn’t about the art of manipulation or coercive sales tactics designed to drive a fast sale (save the car salesman jokes). This is because modern consumers are generally shrewd creatures while most retailers today understand their businesses depend on the values of trust and authenticity.

But, believe it or not, there are still some things retailers can do to influence people’s buying decisions while remaining completely honest and ethical! Here are some of these highly influential forces to help you understand what really makes consumers tick.

The website

Sure, you thought this one was obvious, but what you probably didn’t know is that an incredible 88% of consumers check out a website to gather information about products while websites are almost top of the list of mediums for driving awareness (second to TV).

So, why not reconsider those expensive ads and costly sales staff (within reason, of course) because it turns out building a great website could do a great job on its own. That’s right, setting up a website is no big deal today, but it could be worth splashing out to make sure it’s a good one!

Taking reviews seriously

If you’ve ever read a bad review about your product, how does it make you feel? Do you get frustrated? Does it make you want to respond and put that ill-informed, ignorant customer firmly in their place? Well, if that sounds like you, think again next time.

While it’s long been understood the customer is always right (whether you like it or not), you should also know that 90 per cent of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business while studies have shown people who read reviews decide by them too. The upshot is, it doesn’t look good when consumers see their trusted peers airing grievances and a retailer being an a***hole in response! On the other hand, by showing face and dealing with those negative reviews positively and courteously, you could turn a negative into a great marketing opportunity.

Customer service

This is not so much about winning new customers but instead, making sure those existing customers keep coming back for more by providing an outstanding level of service (at every stage of their customer journey). And this is why: While it’s reported that customer retention is far less expensive than customer acquisition, the probability of an existing customer buying from you could be 60-70 per cent compared to 5-20 per cent for a new customer. So, why not make life easier by looking after what you’ve got?

Playing with emotions

This is about gently tugging those heartstrings and letting consumers know how your products could help them personally. Or, how buying from your business or brand is helping something else they really care about. To give you an idea, here are a couple of great examples.

A meal kit service is simply food delivery, right? Wrong. It could also be welcome relief for those busy professionals who deserve a more wholesome, healthier dinner plate. Or, what about caged eggs versus free range? We know they’re essentially the same product, but many consumers pay more for the humane treatment of those hard-working chickens. So, if you have an emotional story, tell it!

Keep it simple, stupid

Did you know shares in companies with simple names generally do better than those with hard to pronounce names? What’s more, a study by Google found “visually complex” websites are consistently rated less attractive than more simpler sites.

It seems the evidence is in, by making your products easy to use and your marketing materials easier to understand you could start winning consumers from the competition.

Delivery speed

According to research, delivery speed is a key factor in the decision to make a purchase for 87 per cent of shoppers, while two-thirds of Aussies base their buying decisions on the delivery options available. This means retailers could benefit from ditching the traditional standardised courier model for delivery services that offer flexible deliveries at an affordable price point – whether that be next day, same-day or on demand.