Creative Endeavors

People buy things for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. The importance of the product determines the amount of thought and effort into the purchase. Here are some of the most common reasons people purchase the things they do so that you can target your ads effectively:

Emotions

Most purchases are made because of emotions.

The items listed below are examples of emotional purchases:

• alarm systems give us security
• roses and jewelry show love
• expensive possessions make us feel important and successful

Acceptance

To stay updated with the current trends to fit in with others so that they will be accepted.

Here are some examples of products purchased for this reason:

• Cell phones
• Computers
• Clothing and accessories
• Cars

Appearance

This is a very important factor in the buying cycle. We all have purchased something (clothes, shoes, and even automobiles) because of its appearance at least once in our lives. Sure we don't purchase items just because of their appearance, but it is still a very important reason even if we don't like to admit it.

Here are some of the items we may purchase based on their appearance:

• vehicles
• Jewelry
• Clothing, shoes and cosmetics
• art and other decorations
• homes
• pets
• furniture and appliances

We also purchase things like diet pills, exercise equipment, hair-products, and make-up because we want to look like the models in these advertisements.

Sales, Discounts and Coupons

Many people can't say no to a sale, discount or coupon because they think of how much money they can save with each.

Quality

Most people want the best quality possible. Some companies use their great quality as a selling point.

Price

This is a very important factor in the purchasing decision. However, the price plays a more important role with expensive items (homes and vehicle) than it does with cheaper items (bread and paper).

For example, when we need a loaf of bread we just go to our favorite store and buy our favorite type of bread. However, when we need a new vehicle we visit several dealerships, drive several different vehicles, ask friends and family for advice, and even research certain vehicles.

Habit

People are creatures of habit. We tend to go to the same grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and so on. We also tend to purchase the same brand of products over and over again because we know what to expect, where to find it, how much it costs, what to do with it, and we are satisfied with that product.

Since people tend to purchase the same things over and over again, how can you persuade these people to try your product? You must find your competition's weaknesses (price, quality, appearance, etc.) and use their weakness as a benefit in your ads. A good example of this is Juicy Juice's ads and slogan "Libby's Juicy Juice, 100% Juice for 100% kids." Their commercials tell us that most other juices have only 10% real juice then they ask us if 10% is good enough.

To Solve a Problem

When we have a problem, we constantly look for ways to solve it. We pay more attention to ads that are geared towards getting rid of our problem. Cold medications are a good example of this.

Here are some other examples of products and services we purchase to help us solve our problems.

• Self-help books, tapes, seminars
• Cosmetics to prevent the aging process
• Diet products and services
• Medications
• How-to books

Limited Time or Quantity

Most people procrastinate and can eventually forget their intentions of purchasing your product. Fortunately you can prevent some of this procrastination by telling consumers that there is a limited time or quantity of your product.

You could also advertise a special price for a limited time to get people to purchase your product immediately.

Fear of losing something

Ads that tell us what we will lose if we do not purchase their product are very effective. Here are some examples of this are:

• Don't miss this great opportunity
• Don't be the only one without product-XYZ!
• Think of all the money you will lose if you don't get product-XYZ.

Some shoppers will hunt a bargain and will go to several different stores in order to get the best price possible. Others will stop shopping when they find an item that is "good enough."

Satisfaction vs. Dissatisfaction

A customer who is satisfied with your product or service will likely use it again whereas someone who feels that they paid too much money for the service they received is likely to go somewhere else next time they need a similar service.

We all have special needs

Everyone is different and we all have special needs. One product can not meet the needs of every single person so advertisers must focus on special needs.

Remember that all of these factors play an important role in the purchasing decisions. For example, we all would like to have the best quality and most attractive items, but we all can't afford the best items.

You will get the best results if you can think like your target market. Find out what they want your product or service to do, why they want it, how they are going to use it, when they need it, and where they are going to use it. Then use all of these things in your sales approach.