Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

hmmm, i see where you`re going with this, but when I consider target market, that`s an entirely different matter than these personality traits.  Within my target market I have these  people, adn I need to appeal to each somehow in a very subtle manner.  Through implementing actually many of the tips you came up with before, you`re indirectly appealing to them.  But of course, otherwise, the copy is created for whatever the market is (i.e. small business owners, executives, professionals, at-home mothers).  Does that make sense?

Yah, it`s a complex problem....which is why it`s interesting. :-)

Suppose you`ve got a "competitive" type of person, who wants you to demonstrate that you`re better than the other options. You`d have to gear the site`s content toward that sort of situation.

Now suppose you also have a "humanist" type, who wants the touchy-feelie aspect of testimonials.

To put up a testimonials page is fine, and it would be a whole page. But you couldn`t put it on the front landing page. Then, to build a grid comparison that shows you`re the lowest price, most features would also take a whole page. It also couldn`t go on the main page.

Our "window shopper" is only going to look at your first page to make a decision as to further exploring the site. You can`t really have both types of content to appeal to only those two types, all on the front page. If you did, the page would be cluttered, confusing, overly complicated, and probably a turn-off to most people in general. Right?

Not really, what I would do is create links to the pages that have, testimonials, methodologies, etc.  So it wouldn`t be cluttered but it would say something along the lines of:  Our team has developed a detailed methodology

and that word would be a link for the methodical person, and so on and so forth. 

From strictly an online shopper`s poitn of view...hope you don`t mind...the things I look for when deciding to buy online are the following:

1. Clean, easy to read site with detailed descriptions of what I am looking at and pictures that are large enough for a NORMAL human being to see without a magnifying glass.
2. Easy cart retrieval and editing. SOOOO often I find myself on a site...I put something in my cart...and then it takes me forever to find the link on other pages to that cart. Or...I find it and can`t get out of it...or edit it easily.
3. Cost. Shipping cost, cost of the product, and value adds. The item is $50...which is more than I would normally be comfortable with...but you are throwing in a little bag with it...and that makes me happy. Of course...if you were throwing in a screwdriver and I was buying a shirt...probably not as big a value for me!
4. Return policy. I can`t touch it...I can`t try it on...I can`t see if it matches my wall color or carpet...so if I get it and it isn`t perfect and I can`t get rid of it...I am not buying it...period!!!
5. What are other people saying? Real people (and to be honest...I don`t trust testimonials on the actual retailer`s site cuz they could`ve written those for all I know) I want to see that people are talking about it in forums...on other linked sites...I want to see what the REAL world is saying about the product...or even something very similar but more expensive...then I know I have value!
6. HOW FAST CAN I HAVE IT!!!?? Look...I buy things online because I don`t want to spend the time to hit the stores. BUT...I am giving up the ability to have it NOW for the ability to not fight the traffic and store issues....so can you get it to me quickly so I don`t feel like I am losing too much and do it at a fair price!?
7. Don`t beat me up! I don`t want to be bombarded with advertisements, information searching (ie: fill out form), or some gimmic sales pitch...you will chase me away faster than you will sell me on the idea!
8. Does it come in a set!? I love to see things that match and I can buy them all for a lower price than one piece at a time! Can I get an entire outfit including purse and belt....can I get bedspread, pillow shams and draperies...etc.?

These are really just what I look for when I am shopping online! First and foremost though...is it a good value for my money...and how much of my money are you asking for!?

Great thread Craig!

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Leah Tucker

There are two central theories relevant to this discussion.

Push Marketing. Create something and push it onto the market.

Pull Marketing. Create something remarkable and generate demand.

Push marketing tends to involve heavy promotion or sales effort. Pull marketing involves promotion of a product that is remarkable enough to generate its own demand. If you want to do away with "Thanks, just looking." then you really can`t use a push marketing strategy. Pull marketing is when a customer hears about your product and gets in touch.

Both approaches have benefits/drawbacks.

Leah, your list of what you look for is a fine list. I think most people clicking on a site for the first time look for similar things. The problem is, what if you have all those things? Even with all that, some fairly large group of people go, "Enh..." and click away. They`re the "window shoppers."

I would agree with Cookiemonster`s two basic categories. I also think that push marketing is likely going to produce more window shoppers who are just looking, then click away. "Pull" marketing assumes people already know about the product, already want it, based on a demand from additional or other sources.

I`d expect that pull marketing has fewer window-shoppers...."click aways." Can`t prove it, just thinking it`d be more likely.

Then again, if you have a really amazing product everyone wants but nobody knew it existed.... How many sites have such a product, though...really?

I think if you have all those things in place and people are still clicking away then the only other thing you could do is create some kind of reminder to keep that product in their minds for when they are ready to buy. Often times for me it is simply...everything is perfect...I am just not in the mood to buy that...or as you already mentioned...money just isn`t enough to justify the purchase...it isn`t a NEED product...it is a WANT product...and sometimes I can`t justify that. Sites that allow me to send myself a wishlist...or a quick email so I have some way to remind myself that I WANT that product when I have the money...usually get my business eventually.

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Leah Tucker

I hope your not getting paid by the word.

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Daniel Stewart Bilsi 4050A Sladeview Cres. Mississauga,Ontario L5L 5Y5 www.bilsi.com

Hm....I think we should add Leah`s idea. It`s unusual, and I hadn`t thought of it as a possible solution.

• Provide a way for the potential customer to have a "Wish List," and easy bookmarking.

I know some sites will try to place a cookie or grab an IP address and send out spam. Not many, but they`re out there. Other sites will offer a newsletter, but that too would be problematic for the window shopper. On the other hand, this "wish list" idea is really interesting. Let`s keep it as a possibility. :-)

Make sure if you do that though that it can be easily emailed to anyone. Amazon and Shepplers both this really well and it is REALLY handy. Not only can I send it to myself as a reminder...but now I also have the ability to send it to friends and family (free marketing ) and hope that they will buy me the stuff I want instead of me having to spend the money myself!

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Leah Tucker