Do you love to buy things? I do. So does my wife. Put us together when we’re both “in the mood” and look out! Not just TVs, clothes, or toys. I’m talking houses and cars!
We’ve been talking about buying a camper for about 2 years. Then, we decide to go to the local outdoor show with my wife’s parents. Pretty soon we’re going in and out of campers thinking that the prices aren’t as bad as we thought they’d be. Just by looking in my wife’s eyes, I can tell that she’s warming up. A fire has been lit.
Now, we’re excited and we walk out of this one camper for the 15th time and make our mind up to go back and buy it the next day. But before we leave, we decide to make one last swipe down another aisle. We find a bigger one for about the same price. Wow! Cool. Now, after talking to another sales guy, we’re frickin’ pumped as ever and go skipping like children out into 5 degree weather dreaming about the summer.
BUT… we have to go home and check out the towing specs of our SUV. I’m sure it can tow 5000 pounds. So, we jumped on the Internet and started researching our vehicle. Let’s see what this baby is made of. Apparently it’s great for hauling groceries, skis, bicycles, and a toddler or two…but not for towing anything heavier than a couch on roller skates.
Like a balloon rocketing around a room and thurbitting out its air… our excitement was deflating fast. I said, “Well, it looks like you’re buying a truck now.” I just get a look. ’I am NOT buying a truck!’
So, now she’s checking out other SUVs that seem to cost more than I thought they would. Still mid-sized…but loaded up with gadgets and extra towing capacity. After an hour of looking at what vehicle we’re going to buy (for towing a camper we don’t own yet), my wife says, “I REALLY like these, I don’t even care if we buy a camper anymore.”
What?!?! Are you kidding me?
So, guess what. We bought a different SUV that tows things… and a brand new camper within a couple days. We went to a camper show 2 months ago because we were bored. Now we own two new HUGE objects. And I couldn’t be happier. :-)
But remember how long ago we started thinking about buying a camper? 2 years ago at least. 2 years! We are virgin camper people, and had no idea who to really trust in the camper business. Sure we had heard of a few places. But we didn’t know anything about them. We accidentally had nothing to do and got invited to a camper show. What if a camper center advertised correctly and built a relationship with me? What if they told me great camping stories in their ads? What if they started the trust building process with me before I even met them? What if they educated me and talked to me about my own camper virgin situation?
If a camper center had done that, would I have bought a camper sooner? Maybe. Maybe not. If that camper center was at the show, do you think they would have a better chance of me walking into one of THEIR campers? Absolutely!
You can’t predict how or when people will buy your product or service. So, why not build a relationship with them through your communications and advertising? Wouldn’t YOU rather buy from a company you feel you know and trust? Of course you would. You’d at least shop THERE before you shopped at the company you didn’t know anything about. When advertising is done right, it builds relationships and trust. And you can’t do that with ordinary, typical, lame, same old wimpy verbiage, yada yada, blah blah blah advertising.
The story about us buying an SUV and a camper – in a matter of days – after thinking about it for 2 years – is an example of unpredictability. You can’t predict how and when people will buy. Stop trying. Advertise to build a relationship and trust, and people with wallets will seek you out.
Have a groovy day!
Duane Christensen
Non-Fat Advertising blog
I’m a marketing guy, ad writer, and business grower. I’m on a mission to help local businesses get more from their advertising bucks. I also wrote a a no-nonsense book about how to take a bigger slice of market share with better advertising. It’s called “Take a Bigger Slice”.
