Evergreen and Everlasting!
Not everybody shops the same, and therefore not all marketing should be the same. Marketing tactics should be direct, poignant, and expansive. Like a funnel that splits into 4 different bottles.
Believe it or not, the job that gave me that tidbit of advice was The GAP. That’s right, working at The Gap gave me the foundation needed to know a customer the moment they walked through the doors. That has stuck with me since I was nineteen.
We were each given cards to complete, bronze to gold, when identifying and selling to these four types of customers.
Here are the five types in a nutshell:
- The Decisive Buyer- They know what they want before walking in the door. Your job is to get it for them and get them out. They hate details that slow up the process. Trust me, they know the details but see them as insignificant.
- The Trendy Shopper- These are your most personable shoppers. They want to talk and hear the excitement about a new product. They are also the easier to up sell.
- The Processor- Like the decisive buyer, be honest and direct. They can smell bullshit a mile away. But they need time to process the purchase, to determine if it is worth it. Also give them the boost of confidence after the transaction is complete. Reassurance is important.
- The Researcher- This is my husband. He will research the quality of anything he is about to buy, and still question its integrity. The only thing you can do is provide them the information you know, and don’t take it personal when they doubt you.
- The Wanderer- These shoppers take the most time to turn into a sale. Just be patient, quiet, and wait for them to come to you.
Whether you are brick and mortar, click and order, selling a product, or a service, we all deal with each of these consumers. In this digital world, it’s important that we cater our sales tactics to more than just one platform. This can be the tricky part, but it is 100% possible.
Technically, you could say that The Gap was a difference maker in my career.