Seven great motivators called "why-to-buys" make your products, services and brands extremely compelling to any audience.

Communicate that one or more of these "why-to-buys" are at the core of your solution or recommendation. You'll immediately amplify your audience's interest and reduce their resistance. This is the right approach to creating messages and choosing images for advertising, brochures or sales' talk tracks.

Why-To-Buy #1: Compatibility

Show how your offering or approach is aligned with the way your audience currently does business or functions. Reassure them that you are not asking them to take a leap of faith or risk going too far outside the box, but merely expanding or extending their current philosophy, approach or method.

Example of Compatibility

A software trainer presents a new order placement procedure the company’s customer service call center staff.

"At first glance, this new system seems very different from how we currently input orders. However, you'll find it is perfectly compatible with the way you naturally speak with customers, once you see the system demonstrated and get some hands-on time with it. The questions pop up on the screen: in the same order that they usually pop into our heads. In fact, we designed it to make you feel really comfortable on these calls."

Why-to-Buy #2: Speed of Benefit

Show the rapid payoff your audience will enjoy once they take action on your recommendation or request. If you're asking for approval, funds or cooperation for something that will arrive in the long-term, identify another benefit they get right away. Speed of benefit is the most critical why-to-buy when you require a significant commitment or hefty down payment. Don't give the impression that the only benefit comes when the finished product arrives.

Example of Speed of Benefit

An architect presents his bid for a new hospital building. Even if the audience signs his contract on the spot and hands over a check, it will be at least a year before the building is up and functioning.

“Notice the speed of the project's deliverables. Don't worry that you won't see results right away. Here's the project roadmap with a clear list of the results you'll get from the very start. Let me highlight when you'll have the initial drawings, renderings, model, permits and contractor profiles. We'll satisfy your desire for results from day one to the grand opening.”

Why-to-Buy #3: Simplicity

Show your audience that no matter how grand the outcome and sophisticated your solution, your recommendation is easy to understand, approve, and set into motion and use. Whether you're discussing how to operate a machine, interact with technical support or make changes in a department’s operation, emphasize how simple and straight forward it all is.

Example of Simplicity

A business development executive discusses the acquisition of a small but up-and-coming competitor with her CEO.

“It's easy to see why Gentum is a good candidate for acquisition. Their product is simple to understand, given that it’s fundamentally the technology our designers have been working on: as you can see from these drawings. Simply put, our product development plans and their current product are virtually identical. The facts are straightforward. Their CEO is Gentum's founder and principal inventor. He's willing to stay on to make the transition easy, and he'll exit when we like. I've included his bio along with the rest of the key staff. Nothing complicated or unusual about this: just a small but solid company that needs our sized sales force to rapidly
gain traction in the market.”

Why-to-Buy #4: Easy, Low-Risk Trial

Show your audience that they can try out the product, service, or procedure with little risk of damage to their current operation or pocketbook. Oftentimes, your audience would like to get some hands-on experience or check out the internal response from potential users in their organization. The hurdle you must overcome is their fear of making a mistake, even just by sampling or experimenting. Your offer of an easy, low-risk trial trumps that fear.

Example of Easy, Low-Risk Trial

An employee in a firm's accounting department proposes a new collections procedure.

“I would not expect us to commit to a change in our collections procedure. There is a small pilot program we can trial for three months. We can try it with just a few accounts: just 1% of our outstanding debtors. That way, we won't jeopardize our current results: but we'll get a chance to see if we can improve them. Here are the step-by-step instructions. It calls for just two people to be released for two hours a week.

In the handout, you'll find a comparison of the pilot system's procedures to our current system's procedures. And, your packet includes some credible endorsements and success stories about the ease of implementing the pilot program and the advantages of this approach.”

Why-to-Buy #5: Visibility

Help your audience with examples or cases where they may observe, learn or otherwise sense that others, especially role models, are enthusiastically doing what you're recommending.

Example of Visibility

At a trade show booth, a sales representative sells her product to a competitor's customer.

“I'd like to show you our system in action. Two of the industries' market leaders have made video clips, as you observe on the screen behind me. The list of the rewards and results they enjoy are plainly visible, almost startling. In fact: I'll give you this packet with the comparison to competition as well as some applications write-ups. Let me log you into this workstation so you can have some hands-on experience, using your data to model how the system would work for you. It will produce an actual forecast of what you would see in your environment – and compare your results to our other customers' stellar performance.”

Why-to-Buy #6: Strategic Advantage

Show how your product, proposal or program gives your audience an edge. This advantage might give them a head start or leap over competition, or simply accelerate their progress toward a goal.

Example of Strategic Advantage

A performance coach gets buy-in from a mid-level executive who wants a promotion to top management.

“The first secret to being noticed by top management is to project a clear personal brand: which is a strategic advantage over other managers who all seem alike. Sadly, many people are qualified for advancement but they don't stand out from the pack. To meet the goals on your roadmap in an accelerated timeframe, you can easily take steps that get you noticed in a very positive way. It's smart to start with our proprietary assessment. The results will allow you to see how you compare to others. Without updating certain key competencies: you won't appear as qualified – or better qualified than your competition.”

Why-to-Buy #7: Symbolism

Use symbols or metaphors to show that your recommended course of action, or your brand, product or service, is emblematic of your audience's values, mission, self-image or aspirations.

Example of Symbolism

An administrative assistant pitches her department on purchasing special logo polo shirts.

"Logo wear can also symbolize our connection to each other as well as our company. I'd like you to consider wearing these newly designed department logo shirts. Above the company logo on these samples, you see a special insignia, symbolizing our department’s team spirit."

Put these Why-to-Buys to Work

Remember, no matter what you have to sell or say, anchor your solution to these seven reasons why people buy. They powerfully , if subtly, help you make a compelling case for your audience to buy or believe what you are saying or selling.

Author's Bio: 

Nance Rosen, MBA speaks around the world to audiences on business communication, consumer buying behavior, sales, marketing and customer satisfaction. She also facilitates employee satisfaction and learning programs, and coaches managers and entrepreneurs on leading their organizations.

She trains sales representatives, engineers, crew members and others who represent their companies at client and consumer touch points.

She is also on the faculty of UCLA Extension, Business and Management Programs.

As the Managing Director of NAX Partners, Nance leads the strategic marketing and employee development teams. Her group produces research and analysis on new markets and product portfolio expansion, marketing communications, sales support materials, and internal marketing programs that teach employees to deliver on the company’s brand promise.

Formerly, Nance was a marketing executive at The Coca-Cola Company, president of the Medical Marketing Association, first woman director of marketing in the Fortune 500 technology sector, host of International Business on public radio and NightCap on television, an entrepreneur and a general manager at Bozell Advertising and Public Relations (now Omnicom). Her new book is Speak Up! And Succeed: How to Get Everything You Want In Meetings, Presentations and Conversations.

Email her at Nance@NanceRosen.com or call 1-888-GO-NANCE.