When it comes to marketing and sales, if you don’t know who you’re targeting, you’re not likely to see any success. It’s simple. How do you market a product to a consumer if you don’t know what they want and what will appeal to them? That’s where buyer types come in.
Identifying your audience is one of the first steps we take when this Leeds marketing agency start working with a new client, but this is more than just finding a target demographic, it means working out how and why people make purchases. What triggers them to buy?
What are Buyer Types and why do we need them?
Rather than a mass market approach of assuming your whole audience is alike and behaves in the same way, when you adjust them to ensure a more tailored approach, you’re able to more effectively utilise your resources. This requires a little bit of strategy to identify them and change your approach, but it’s well worth the effort. You know what they say about assumptions…
One way marketers used to target their audience was through demographics – splitting their audiences into segments of society (18-25, male, educated, etc). But think about you and your friends. You may be in the same demographic but act in very different ways when it comes to making purchases. This comes down to your buyer type. So nowadays many marketers see this as an old-school method. Rather than assuming that everyone who shares certain identifiers will respond to the same tactics, you have to target their motivations and their behaviours.
Some buyers make impulse purchases, while others are very analytical and need a lot of information before making purchases to minimise the risk. Some consumers will look for the most cost-effective option while others remain loyal to a specific brand, regardless of the cost or potential benefits of switching brands.
When you’re able to identify your consumer’s buyer type, you can adjust and personalise your marketing towards them, helping to reach and connect with them in a way that they’ll react to. This leads to a better success rate as well as forming better customer relationships.
There are several different buyer types of course, and not every consumer within these types will always behave in a uniform way. But many marketers (including those at this marketing agency in Leeds, Punch!) split buyer types into four main categories.
What are the four buyer types?
Analytical Buyers
Give me the facts and I’ll take it from there. I’m looking for the best choice.
Analytics buyers need a lot of information. By a lot, we mean you’re going to need to make sure they have all the information possible to make their purchases. These buyers are what you might refer to as ‘type A’. They’re high maintenance, detail-orientated, and want to consider everything before making a purchase.
They’ll often be the researchers, looking up reviews and possible competitors, and they respond well to data and analytics to support their decisions. Personal stories and emotional tactics are unlikely to work as well in these situations. When they’re looking at reviews they’ll take a look at other’s experiences and what they gained from their purchase, as well as the quality of what they’re purchasing. They want to see proof of what they’re gaining.
Analytical buyers are also likely to shop around rather than remain loyal to one specific brand. They want what’s going to be most effective and deliver the best results for them.
You’re likely to run across analytical buyers in a B2B environment. When you’re dealing with analytical buyers within your marketing and sales, be clear and specific. Take your time with them. If you rush them into purchasing without giving them all the information they need, they might run.
Don’t trap them – they’re not impulse buyers. Instead, give them all the facts and information they need. Flowery language might not be as useful here as raw data would be. Repeat the key information and let them conclude that your product really is the best out there – because, of course, it is!
At the end of the day, they want to come to the right decision and want to know everything they can to do just that.
Assertive Buyers
I know what I want and I’m going to get it.
When it comes to assertive buyers they want it given to them straight. The bottom line is what’s important to them, and they want to be in control of the journey.
They see themselves as competent and want to do business with people they see as being qualified enough to give them what they want. They’re akin to the analytical buyer in a lot of ways (they’re likely to look for social proof and want the facts from you) but they ask fewer questions and care more about the end goal. Emotional arguments are still less likely to work for the assertive buyer. Brief, concise, and active statements will have a bigger impact. They value results over a personal relationship.
If you’re trying to spot who is an assertive buyer type then listen for who is using declarative sentences rather than asking questions. They build up their information about your solution and how it would benefit them in their own time.
Your reputation and the way you present yourself are likely to appeal to this kind of buyer. This buyer may lurk for a while, building up their knowledge of your product and your company, often checking your credentials and background. Try enhancing your LinkedIn presence and your website to showcase your skills and experience. This will make them trust your ability to get the job done – which at the end of the day, is the goal here.
Assertive buyers may have an ego and ensuring this is respected is key to winning them over. They might know what they’re talking about so showing them an understanding of this but going on to prove how you can improve it or add to it could work well.
Involving them in conversations about the sales process and letting them know the expected ROI will help them evaluate the broader business impact of your solution and play a role in their decision. Preparedness is number one when working with them. Know your facts but more importantly – know what results you can deliver. This is what they care about.
The assertive buyer is confident. Give them your pitch straight and upfront and they’ll come to a decision.
Amiable Buyers
I’m excited to find a solution to problems, and excited to do it with you!
Marketing is often about emotions – especially B2C. If you can’t create an emotional connection then you risk losing a large audience. This is 100% the case with amiable buyers. This buyer type is motivated by emotions and relationships. They’re quick to make a decision and this decision is often triggered by frustration, embarrassment, hope, excitement, and validation.
Amiable buyers can be very influenced by emotions and people. They look up to people they admire so reviews and endorsements by thought-leaders, celebrities, friends, and online reviews can be extremely useful to them when they make a decision. They can be pre-sold on something just as easily as being unsold by someone’s opinion. Trust in you is important to building a relationship and with amiable buyers, relationships are a priority. You’ll find they’re loyal to a brand and will continue purchasing from them.
When you’re working with an amiable buyer, build that relationship to cultivate loyalty. Be friendly, communicate with them directly, and seek out as much information as you can about their interests, their lifestyle, and what they want. Personal information and anecdotes can help explain your service to them and often humour will engage them.
When crafting content for an amiable buyer, remember they respond well to scarcity. Urgency strategies are effective so make sure you’re using words like “now” and “limited offer”. Social proof is also a great choice with this buyer type as it appeals to both their trust in other’s opinions and the emotional aspect of their personality.
Pitch a vision to an amiable buyer. Show them how your product or service can improve their lives, their reputation, and their image. Be personal and be friendly. That’s how you secure a win.
Expressive Buyers
If you care about me, I’ll care about you. Let’s work out the best approach.
Expressive buyers can be the bleeding hearts. They care about how their decisions are going to impact those around them. But they also care what you think of them. They can easily be influenced by emotion, meaning emotionally charged marketing will have a direct impact. They want to be a part of a community and feel valued by marketers and brands. They don’t want to be isolated in their decision and they might want to feel like they’re your top priority as a client or consumer.
Some questions they might consider before making a purchase:
- How will buying or using this make me feel?
- Can I trust the people I’m purchasing this product or service from?
- Who else uses this or works with the brand?
- Do they value me individually?
- How will this purchase affect those around me?
When targeting an expressive buyer, using emotional language and stories from previous customers might be an effective strategy. This buyer type values hands-on aspects like demonstrations, training, free trials, and user experience. Focus on pain-based questions about their current situation and acknowledge their emotions. However, they won’t impulsively jump into the sale based on this.
They will be drawn in by emotions but employ logic before purchasing to ensure the impact of that decision is positive for everyone involved. Case studies can be extremely useful to show how your business has made an impact on other people’s lives. Like amiable buyers they value relationships but like assertive buyers, they are sure of their beliefs and have powerful personalities.
Don’t throw new information at them at the last minute. It may take you longer to close the deal with this buyer type but it will be worth it in the long run. Show them that you have a solution to their problems (remember, pains and gains) but that you won’t overthrow the entire status quo.
We know how this game works. This Leeds marketing agency is one of the best. To ensure you draw them in and win them over you want to establish a clear relationship with them. Match their enthusiasm, don’t rock the boat, and you’ve got them!
How do you work out a Buyer Type?
Now you’re familiar with why you should know buyer types and what the main 4 buyer types are, you might be wondering how you work out which category a client or consumer falls into. It might not be easy at first but with practice, it’ll fall into place. It’s all about being a good listener and observer.
Say you’re working with a new client. Before you pitch, you want to work out how to aim the pitch – what information to include, what tone to strike, etc. Ask questions and listen carefully to the answers to reveal clues as to where they fall. If they reached out to you or looked into your options, services, and site, then you can ask them ‘Why us?’. This will tell you whether the price was a component and what attracted them to you.
Find out what they think is important and how they operate. You can use these answers to help narrow down how they behave and what their driving forces are behind a purchase which will give you the information you need to narrow down their buyer type.