Would you buy from you? Many people struggle with this question only to find that their best response is a "maybe" or the noncommital "it depends."
If you would not buy from you, why would anyone else? We live in a world that is constantly connected and are bombarded with more information than is possible to consume. So, what do we do? We buy from people who are like us, who we understand. We buy from those who are distinctive and unique and provide true value. In short, we buy from those we trust. The real question then becomes: Are you trustworthy? Before answering, here are three things to consider.
1. THE "WHY"
We must understand the other person on a deeper level, or what I call "under the iceberg." What is their truth? Their worldview? Their why? Think about it. Nearly 90 percent of an iceberg is below the surface of the water and yet we zoom in on the visible part, a whopping 10 percent. You may claim to understand another person, but have you completely listened to them? This must happen in order to uncover the root values that drive each decision that person makes. Ask great questions to get beyond the "how" and "what" and below the surface to the "why."
2. THE BRAND
When a person does business with you, he or she is ultimately buying your brand, so what you do with that brand is important. Your brand is another way to gain trust from potential customers. After all, your brand is not what you say it is, but what others say it is. In branding, perception to one person is reality to another. Here is how I define the word "brand":
• B = Baseline: The starting point used for comparison.
• R = Reputation: Everything we know or have learned about someone.
• A = Attributes: The adjectives and characteristics that we use to define a person.
• N = Name: Brings to mind positive, neutral or negative thoughts about a person.
• D = Distinctiveness: Describes the ways someone is different, unique and creative.
The value you provide is what your brand is about. It is directly related to the value that others perceive when making a buying decision. Price alone doesn't lead to value. Remember to include your company's offerings and, most importantly, you. Yes, you and your brand. You are selling "you" in every encounter in life, and that correlates with your brand and how others make their decisions.
3. THE PACT
We must also answer the question of "would you buy from you?" The short answer is a seller and buyer must develop a PACT (P = Passion; A = Authenticity; C = Creativity; T = Trust). Merriam Webster defines pact as "a formal agreement between two people or groups." We want to focus on the word "agreement."
A person buys from another person when they feel authentic passion fueled with creativity that is built on trust. If trust is what must occur in this process, it is built upon some of these key criteria. When a person has tremendous passion they have energy, dedication and enthusiasm in all that they do. When a person is authentic, they are consistent in behavior no matter the circumstances. Moreover, they are real and focus on ethics and integrity. And when a person is creative, they approach life in a different manner than others. They operate with an "as if" mindset. This means they operate in a manner that says why can't this be done? They find a way and never settle for less than the best.
The answer to "would you buy from you" is simple. When you get to know the other party's "why," under-the-surface needs and mindset, comprehend the distinct value in their brand, and develop a PACT with them built on complete trust, the question changes to: "How could you not buy from you?" We are here to be of service and look forward to helping you "understand your why" and grow your business.
This article is based on Ryan T. Sauers' upcoming book, "Would You Buy From You?" available for preorder at www.WouldYouBuyFrom.com.
By Ryan T. Sauers
Ryan T. Sauers is president of Sauers Consulting Strategies. The firm consults with printing- and promotional product-related companies across the U.S. Sauers is working on his Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership and is the author of the top-selling book "Everyone Is in Sales," with "Would You Buy From You?" due out in early 2015. Sauers is a Certified Myers Briggs Type Indicator, DiSC Practitioner and Certified Marketing Executive. He writes national feature articles in publications and speaks at many national conferences on such topics as sales, marketing, communications, organizational leadership and social media. Sauers is also an adjunct university professor teaching leadership and organizational strategy to adult learners. For more information, visit www.ryansauers.com.
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