Last week we talked about your motivation. But you know what's awesome? The exact same framework applies to your customers. So let's flip the table and talk about what motivates your buyer to buy.
If you've taken my Marketing for Crafters course, then you know how you can use Maslow's Hierarchy to figure out your buyer's motivation.
But what about the new research – how can you use that to connect with your customers?
Let's dig in:
Autonomy: People are motivated to take actions so that they will feel like the Captain of their own ship.
Some questions to ask yourself (and answer in your communication with potential buyers):
- How does my product help the user feel like she's in charge?
- How does it help her feel one-of-a-kind?
- What information can you give her to enable her to feel like she's making a great, smart decision?
- How can you speak to that Inner Captain in your messaging?
Example message for artist who sells paintings: Your house doesn't have to look like everyone else's. You get to decide what you put on the walls. Choose something that communicates who you really are to the world.
How could you apply this to your own business?
Competence (or Mastery): People are motivated to take actions that will help them feel competent and/or skilled.
Some questions to ask yourself (and answer in your communication with potential buyers):
- How can I speak to the competence of my customer?
- What can I provide to make her feel more competent?
- How can I serve her need for mastery?
Example for a jeweler: Write a series on how to wear your necklaces, or give weekly outfit ideas for what to put with the jewelry – make your reader feel like a master of looking chic (if that's your brand!).
Example for a knitwear designer: Create patterns that increase the knitter's skill. Speak to the desire to be a more skilled knitter.
How could you apply this to your own business?
Purpose: People are motivated to fulfill a deeper purpose in life; they want to feel connected to something larger than themselves.
Some questions to ask yourself (and answer in your communication with potential buyers):
- What is the larger purpose behind what I'm doing? How can I invite the buyer to take part in that?
- How can my product enable the buyer to pursue her own purpose?
Example for anyone: Tap into your own business mission and highlight the aspects your buyer will care about. Share that with them and invite them to join it.
Whether your mission is about sharing love or empowering women or keeping handcraft alive or celebrating the geeky, your best customers are going to want to know about it and they are longing to join in and be a part of it
What's your mission? How can you communicate it?
Hopefully, as you consider your business and answer these questions, you're beginning to see that, yes, your marketing = talking to real people. People with the same motivation, desires, and enthusiasm as you.
Your job is to communicate the value and provide the information in a framework (speaking to their motivation) that they understand. If you could use a little help with that, sign up for the free marketing e-course below.
