Sometimes, even if you ask the right questions in the buying process, the client can hesitate in buying from you because he has doubts on whether you’re trustworthy or not. Trust is, after all, the backbone of any buyer-seller relationship or any relationship for that matter.
The charismatic salesman that you might have bought a car, a house, or a pair of speakers from probably made a good impression on you, regardless if you work in the field or not.
What you may or may not know is the fact that charisma in sales is not something that you’re born with. Sure, someone might naturally be more convincing, assertive or generally good with people, but that’s simply a small part of what sales is about.
Let’s explore some common barriers that may deter one from buying from you and how you can get around them:
Table of Contents
How to Ensure Potential Customers Are Buying From You
#1: Your potential customers don’t want to be sold to
Given the multitude of offers, a lot of them being scams, a potential client might feel uneasy if the meeting looks too much like it's a sales meeting or if the website they're on looks like nothing more than a way to get them towards the “Pay” section.
The solution to this problem is to take a more advisory-expert role in which you genuinely want to help the person you’re talking to or writing for, regardless of the outcome.
The wall of uncertainty will get thinner and the chances of them transforming into a buyer increases.
#2: They don’t want to risk regret afterward
Every person has bought something which they later regretted.
You have to find out what the main uncertainties are that your product could generate and cover them all in your sales pitch.
A simple “money-back-guarantee” can easily solve a lot of these fears, increasing the likelihood of them buying from you.
#3: The fear of being lied to
You will find many salespeople that lack ethics.
These types of people are a bad stain on what selling is about.
You need to be honest regarding your product or service and take full responsibility for your promises.
Your potential customer can smell a lie a mile away. Remember that people are savvy… Practice transparency and you'll have no problems.
#4: Is the product worth the money?
The buyer must be made aware of the all the advantages and benefits of the product or service you're offering.
The higher the perceived value, the more money they are willing to spend because, in their eyes, the investment becomes less, but only after you've put to bed any fears they have of the product being worth the price tag you've labeled it with.
#5: Fear of the unknown
The potential client hasn’t even heard of your product and can only guess its use.
Maybe they don't know you either. Your landing page must be made to inform rather than sell.
Video works well at establishing rapport, use this if you're asking them to buy from you for the first time.
#6: Bad past experiences stop them buying from you
The higher the age of the buyer, the more assurance you must give them. It’s that simple.
Almost everyone has had a bad experience when buying something, particularly when it comes to shopping online, so you should check for signs of that kind of doubt by getting to know the past experiences of your ideal customer.
The more you can ease their fears, the higher the chances are of them buying from you.
#7: Prejudice from other people
One may become, at times, a victim of other people’s opinions.
When someone badmouths a product that didn’t work for them, then, consciously or not, we tend to get influenced by that opinion.
Try getting to the root of that pre-conceived idea and provide proof that not all opinions are facts. Again, transparency is key in easing these fears.
#8: Buyer’s prejudice
Obviously, a buyer can easily have an opinion based on their own negative past experiences with similar products.
Again, it’s best that you find out more about what made them not like the product or service so that you can better deal with their objections.
#9: Avoid certain words:
- “Cost, price”: the client’s reaction is: “it’s too expensive” or “we should look for a lower price.” To avoid these reactions, you could use words like “investment” to show that it’s not about the money, it’s about the value your product or service provides them.
- “Buy”: people don’t want to buy. They want to own. Use words that will make them think of possession.
- “Sell”: you must remove this word from your dictionary. You don’t sell to people. You help them acquire knowledge.
- “Sign”: signing a contract can be scary for a lot of people, especially if they barely know you. Instead, try using expressions like “give the go-ahead”.
Conclusion
These are the fears that your potential clients might encounter.
It’s your job as an entrepreneur to establish trust and communicate your product or services’ value with sincerity and precision.
You must always assume that the buyer doesn’t trust you, so be careful to look and talk like your best self if you’re meeting them in person, and have a killer landing page or e-mail subject line when sending out launch-type emails.
Try to see what kind of person you’re dealing with because different people respond to different emotions.
On the other hand, they may not trust the product based on their own or other’s experiences. That’s why you must highlight the uses, benefits, and advantages of your offer, as well as understand any downsides and potential issues that may arise with the product or service.
Minimize weaknesses and maximize strengths.
Also, you must remember to use scientifically-proven psychological words that will avoid deterring people from buying from you and make them feel more comfortable with the decision they’re making.
If you’re an online entrepreneur, you will need a slightly different approach when dealing with a client.
Bottom line, be honest, transparent and highlight the benefits to ensure that your potential customer feels comfortable buying from you and your company.
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52 replies to "9 Common Fears That Deter Your Potential Customers From Buying From You"
Thank you so much for this article! I am a new VA and I now have some ideas to “clean up” and revamp my Hire Me page. Terri a.k.a. TK the VA
That’s great Terri, glad it was helpful.
Great one! I didn’t know about words, not to use-very helpful. I will definitely try to avoid “Cost, price” next time. 🙂 Thank you.
I know. I didn’t realise this either. It’s always good to review your copy to make sure you’re not turning away potential customers 🙂
Yes the “don’t use certain words” approach is brilliant!
Thanks,
I agree, thanks for commenting Nathalie!
Great tips that I will keep in mind. Thanks
Thanks Julie 🙂
Great tips that are very valuable in business- thank you!
Glad you found them helpful Karen 🙂
This is such a tough topic! I sell a service and not a product, but that doesn’t make things any easier. Thanks for the tips!
It really is John. I’m glad you found the post helpful 🙂
Selling is a tough job. Your tips are going to come in handy. I totally agree with the importance of using the right words. Great post!
Glad you found it useful 🙂
I never thought about those words to avoid before! It makes so much sense to phrase things in a different way, thanks for the great tips!
I know, right! Words make a difference, so it’s great to have a resource to refer back to 🙂
Super good article! Agree that if you are serving people by striving to add value to their lives you will not come across as someone just trying to make a dollar. Thanks for the awesome tips!
Thanks for your comments Teresa!
This is a great article. I agree if you are serving people by striving to add value to their lives you won’t come across as someone just trying to make a dollar.
Great advice. I’m about to launch a product so this is perfect!
I’m glad you found it helpful Rachelle 🙂
I do agree with all your pointers! Most of us are averse to trying new things just out of fear of the unknown as you put it! And of course pre-set prejudices too!
Exactly Sreekar. I’m glad you agree.
I definitely agree with all the points you make. Definitely makes business sense. I recently had an experience where I was pressured to buy from a salesperson. He lost my respect immediately and suffice to say, he did not win my business.
Yikes Linda, I hate it when salespeople are pushy!
These are great insights! I am studying marketing in college, and it’s so important to be able to understand what your customer is thinking as you pitch to them.
Exactly Gabriella. Good luck with your studying 🙂
I think being lied to is the biggest fear of all when it comes to e-commerce or any type of commerce really.
Agree 100% that its super important to establish a trustworthy relationship !
Great post overall!
It really is my biggest fear, which is why you should always do your due diligence and as digital marketers, we should make it as easy as possible for potential customers to buy from us 🙂
How crucial it is to understand a client’s point of view. Thank you for this valuable reminder.
Glad you enjoyed Lorna!
Really great article. It can be tough to go from offering free products and services to paid and it can certianly help to build trust and authority with your clients. Great advice!
I agree Heather 🙂
I totally agree as a buyer of those points the reason why I wouldnt buy from you! I dont want to regret buying afterwards or the doubts of the quality and worse is to be lied to!
Totally agree Dada, no-one wants to be lied to!
excellent points! As a seller and a minimalist consumer I can totally get what you are saying. The fear of the unknown is a great factor that needs to be considered, and the buyer needs to know they are getting a good value for their money in order to commit and make a purchase..
Great insights Chelf, thanks for sharing 🙂
One of my fear has a blogger has always been that my blog visitors should not visit my blog and have that fear that I’m only trying to get their with affiliate links instead of impacting their lives which is my primary objective. Thank you for sharing this candid tips, they will help me in my business as well.
You’re so welcome Dominika. As long as you keep wanting to help people, you’ll be fine 🙂
Hi Lisa, this is very helpful. I still didn’t launch my landing page until it is flawless, it takes time really and this post helps! Thanks! Keep it up!
I’m glad you found it helpful Ann. Personally, I’m about “done is better than perfect” because you can always refine as you go 🙂
Great article about attracting customers and making them feel comfortable. Not using the word Buy and instead of it using Own with a specific justified reason is quiet interesting. I loved all the tips.
Glad you liked it Yukti 🙂
You’ve collated some very interesting points here. I especially like the one about being sold to, nobody likes to feel like they’re being pushed or pressured into the decision of purchasing something, you’ve to let them come it on their own.
Agree Medha, no-one likes being sold to!
Though I am not into selling products, your tips can be extended to other areas as well. And as a buyer myself, these points completely resonate with me. This is the first post that I discovered on your blog; and I am now going to check out the rest of your site!
Hi Vidya, I believe too that it doesn’t matter what you’re doing, these points definitely translate into other areas of your business 🙂 Welcome!
Really interesting read! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing such an informative post! 🙂
Thanks Cynthia 🙂
These are some SOLID tips–thank you!
Glad you enjoyed them Amy 🙂