Here’s the Real Reason People Hit ‘Buy Now’

What really motivates someone to buy something? That’s the question we’re diving into in this week’s blog.

So let’s start with an example. Everyone needs marketing, but not everyone thinks they need marketing. That makes it hard for agencies like ours, of course.

Because sometimes we meet businesses that are very successful, but they could be 10 times more successful if they had better marketing.

But you can’t convince them.

They’re not even aware they have a problem. 

Marketers often ask: “What’s the pain point?” but a better question – and one the precedes the pain point – is: “Are the audience problem-aware?”.

That’s why the best audience for any new business is a problem-aware audience who can’t find the solution they need.

Because even if you come up with the solution to a gap in the market that people need, you’ll never sell it if they don’t even know they need it.

And some problems are easier to solve than others.

A great example is hungry people at retail parks. That’s why there are always drive-thru’s on them; these brands know that after traipsing around shopping for half a day, people will get hungry.

It’s very easy to solve the problem.

But first they have to know there’s a problem. And it’s not always just about the pain point or providing a direct solution.

Sometimes it’s about the emotion behind the pain point.

People often buy things based on emotional decisions, and those decisions are almost always propelled by one question: “What if?”

What if your suitcase gets lost when you go travelling? You’ll need to buy one of those coloured bands to put round it, so it stands out from everyone else’s. And what if you get stung by mosquitos? You’ll need to take a mosquito bracelet with you.

The ‘what if’ is an emotionally-rooted question, because it carries a fear; fear of losing your suitcase and not having your stuff, fear of getting stung or whatever it may be.

And here’s where it gets even more complicated.

Not all purchases have a pain point. Scented candles aren’t there to light up your home, they’re to make it smell nice and create an ambience. Someone who wants to buy a Ferrari doesn’t have a pain point; they just really want a Ferrari.

And sometimes, there’s a secondary pain point.

For example, jewellery isn’t just to buy something sparkly, it’s to show someone you care. Dog toys aren’t just to entertain your dog, they’re to stop them chewing through your slippers. Branding isn’t just about creating a logo, it’s to make your business memorable.

But most purchases – especially when it comes to services – are rooted in some form of pain point.

And this is where many brands fall down.

They try to solve a problem that people don’t even know they have – and then really struggle to sell it to them because there isn’t a ‘what if’ to fulfill.

And sometimes, you have to explain to people what the ‘what if’ actually is. I had a discovery call yesterday with a company who weren’t doing any re-targeting and they weren’t problem-aware because they didn’t know what retargeting was.

Now know the hole in their boat.

And they can choose to fix it themselves, with us, or with someone else. When it comes to the sales funnel, the first question any business should be asking is whether their audience is problem-aware.

If not, it’s pointless launching an aggressive sales campaign. You need to educate the audience on the problem first.

And this is why marketing’s notoriously difficult, because everyone’s got a different problem that they think they already know how to solve.

It starts with getting clear on where the problem is.

For example, if you need more sales, you might think you need a salesperson. But maybe that’s not what you need at all; it’s better marketing. So it’s not a sales problem, it’s a marketing problem.

Or maybe you think you’ve got a problem generating leads, but in fact you are – you’re just not converting them. 

It’s not a leads problem; it’s a sales problem.

The perfect time to figure out the real problem is – and be truthful about whether you’re the right person to solve it – is when you’re on a call with a prospective customer. Instead, a lot of people use that call as an opportunity to sell their wares, without even exploring what the problem is.

If you don’t know what problem you’re solving, here’s a simple hack you can try.

Put a description of your product into ChatGPT and ask it to give you 50 problems that it solves.

Then run a campaign based on what you find.

Maybe you’ve found people never have enough time, so your headline could be something like: “Ever feel like the phone doesn’t stop ringing? Get your life back with our new VA service.”

By asking people a question about it, you’re making them aware that there actually is a problem; they’re struggling to handle the volume of calls they’re getting. And if they’re already problem-aware?

Figure out how to stand out from the competition.

No one is more problem-aware than a bride who needs to buy a wedding dress. Maybe they’re sick and tired of the same routine in every bridal boutique they visit; sit down, get a glass of prosecco disguised as champagne, and then listen to a massive sales pitch.

Tap into that, and show them how you’re different, and suddenly you’ve differentiated yourself from your whole marketplace.

So, the key takeaway?

Know your customers’ pain point, and make sure you’re selling to a problem-aware audience. And in every campaign you run, focus on the outcome, not the features.

Don’t miss the next episode of Stay Hungry – we’ll dive into straight-talking insights on business marketing, growth mindset, and the realities of running a business. And if you want to take the hassle out of your marketing, we’ve got you covered with our done-for-you service.