Buying Motives: What They Are & How They Can Help You Make Sales

Do you want to learn how to use buying motives to your advantage? If so, you’ll have the potential to get more sales and increase your revenue. Let’s begin by defining what a buying motive is.

What Is a Buying Motive?

Here is what a buying motive is. It’s the desire for a customer to please his or her urge to get a product or service. It doesn’t matter what someone is buying. Every single purchase has some form of buying motive behind it. Buying motives and their use in personal selling are vital to increasing one’s sales revenue. The best salespeople in the world take advantage of people’s buying motives. How so?

By tapping into the emotions and thoughts that make people desire services or goods. Prospects never buy only because they’ve gotten influenced by a salesperson. They buy because that salesperson triggered a desire within customers. That desire leads people to go ahead and make purchases.

Keep in mind that a buying motive is completely separate from an instinct. The motive is the reason a person chose to do what they did, in this case, make a purchase. An instinct is the opposite, in which freewill has nothing to do with the decision. An instinct is pre-programmed and automatic. For example, thirst is an instinct. But someone’s desire to drink a can of their favorite fancy sparkling water is a buying motive.

What Are 3 Buying Motives?

There are dozens of potential buying motives out there. But let’s go over the three most important key buying motives. 1. The need to generate money. 2. Risk reduction. 3. Managing one’s time. Concentrate on these motives whenever you begin a call with a new prospect. The odds are in your favor that the prospect’s motivated by one of the three. The key is for you to match a person’s desires and needs with your product or service. Doing so will prevent you from gearing dragged down into debates that take up time. The majority of those debates will have to do with costs and more incidentals. Many incidentals will hide the true reasons that prospects consider making purchases.

How Do Buying Motives Affect Consumer Purchases?

Buying motives are considerations and influences that exist within each prospect’s mind. Those are the two key factors behind people having an impulse to buy. An influence can lead to an impulse. Next, that impulse leads to either an induced action or a determined choice. Through action or choice, a prospect then begins the purchasing process. He or she now has it in their mind to buy services or goods. Most purchases take place due to the mental simulation of influences. Let’s now go over what those specific buying influences/motives are.

What Are the 5 Buyer Motivations?

Sales experts like to debate whether there are five or six true buying motivations. Let’s go over all six so that we cover all your bases. These are the top motivations that influence prospects to buy services and products. Keep in mind that the following motivations are in sequential order for a reason. They’re ranked from most important to least important. 1. The desire to gain money and achieve financial success. 2. Fear of losing money or suffering a tremendous financial loss. 3. The notion of gaining convenience and/or comfort. 4. Protection from harm and the desire for security. 5. Pride when it comes to owning a product or using a service. 6. Satisfying one’s emotional desires.

The Emotional Buying Motives of a Customer

There are two types of buying motives when it comes to selling. You’ve got emotional buying motives and rational buying motives. Let’s go over emotional buying motives first. It’s the instance in which a customer makes a purchasing decision not based on logic, reason, facts, etc… Instead, they are buying based on their emotional investment in the product. Below are the main factors for a customer’s emotion-based buying motives.

Emotional Buying Motive #1: Pride

Being prideful is the number one buying motive across any industry. Most people take pride in their possessions. Here is an example. Think how prideful someone feels when they drive off the luxury car lot with their shiny and new car. That person might feel that the brand of the luxury car makes him or her stand out or seem prestigious. This is pride. And it doesn’t take a brand new Mercedes for the consumer to have it. People have this same mentality about all products and services.

Emotional Buying Motive #2: The Need to Conform to Others

Imitating other people is one of the top buying motives. Pride’s rooted in human nature. Conformity is too. Say that a person sees their neighbor with a brand new luxury car. He or she may desire to measure up to the social standard that his or her neighbor has set. People have no problem making a purchase to gain the approval of others.

Emotional Buying Motive #3: The Need for Affection

One’s affection for other people in his or her life, such as love, is another common emotional buying motive. Customers want to provide for the people in their lives that they care about. (Such as significant others or children.) Products of all types get purchased due to affection. Here is an example. Parents might buy their child a new luxury car instead of a more unattractive, older car. Why? It’s due to love and affection.

Emotional Buying Motive #4: Seeking Comfort

The want or need to live a comfortable life is a key emotional buying motive. Think of all the products you use every day that give you comfort. Beds, blankets, house cleaners, washing machines, etc… They all address the customer buying motive by making people feel comfortable. So, try to learn more knowledge about how your product or service gives people comfort. Providing comfort is a great tool for building brand loyalty. It’s simple- people take pride in goods and articles that have an impact on comfort.

Emotional Buying Motive #5: Sex

Sex sells. It’s that simple. And it’s one of the key emotional buying motives. Think about how many million units of mouthwash wouldn’t sell if people didn’t want to seem attractive. Feeling the need to get seen as an attractive person is a huge buying motive. But it affects more than mouthwash salespeople. Sexual attraction can influence the purchases of cars, clothing, jewelry, etc.

Emotional Buying Motive #6: The Need to Achieve

Seeking achievement is a big-time emotional motive. This can refer to checking off one’s list of objectives and goals. Think of all the products and services that a college student needs. A student needs many goods to achieve his or her goal of graduating with a degree. Ambition sells. And people like to appear that they’ve achieved a lot in their lives. Part of this has to do with pride.

Emotional Buying Motive #7: Appearing Unique & Feeling Free to Stand Out

The desire to stand out and appear unique is a crucial emotional buying motive. Imagine how many dollars the fashion industry would lose per year if no one had this desire. Yet, almost everyone wants to express themselves with their clothing. It doesn’t have to be clothes, but almost everybody wants to stand out, in some shape or form.

Emotional Buying Motive #8: The Need for Pleasure

People want things in their lives that will give them pleasure. For example, almost everybody enjoys streaming programs on their televisions. This means their buying motive, pleasure, gets carried out in a variety of ways. It could be whenever they subscribe to a streaming service, buy a TV, buy a device that connects to the TV, etc.

Emotional Buying Motive #9: Eating & Drinking

Everybody has to eat and drink to live. Sure, it’s an instinct. But it can also serve as an emotional buying motive. People like to eat. In fact, they love doing it. A buying decision that has to do with food is more common than people realize.

Emotional Buying Motive #10: Habit

Think of how many products get purchased out of habit. Alcohol, tobacco, etc… They’re bought because people get used to buying them. Plus, people could suffer on an emotional level if they stopped buying them. Many people don’t realize that they make almost every purchase out of habit. Most buyers would have more money if they made every purchase out of need. But that’s not how human nature operates.

The Rational Buying Motives of a Customer

A rational buying motive differs from an emotional buying motive. This is due to the customer applying logical thought before making a buying decision. This means that the person has gotten influenced to buy based on rationality. There are no emotional stakes involved. Below are the main rational buying motives.

Rational Buying Motive #1: The Need to Feel Safe

This is one of the most crucial rational buying motives. Everybody wants to feel safe and secure. As a result, people will make purchases to ensure safety for themselves. And also to guarantee the safety of their families. Even a multivitamin gets purchased with this buying motive in mind. How so? So that someone can protect his or her body and feel healthy.

Rational Buying Motive #2: The Economy

The notion of reducing operating costs is a vital factor in business. But it also applies when it comes to rational buying motives. Here is an example. The average person is going to make a rational decision to purchase a cheaper car than a Rolls Royce. Most potential buyers are going to appear practical when it comes to buying goods. But that doesn’t mean they won’t have any curiosity for luxury items.

Rational Buying Motive #3: Cheap Pricing or Free Add-Ons

Most rational buyers have a motive to compare pricing among different companies. They will then go with one of the cheaper options. But that doesn’t mean the person can’t get persuaded to spend money. It’s simple- people like free stuff. Our firm has more articles about how add-on items can lead to improved sales numbers.

Rational Buying Motive #4: Finding Something That Fits a Need

Rational customers desire products that are appropriate for their needs. Here is an example. Someone needing a coach who lives in a studio apartment has a certain furniture need. He or she isn’t going to consider buying a giant L-shaped couch that can fit seven people.

Rational Buying Motive #5: Versatile Products

Consumers are enthusiastic about goods that serve their needs in more than one area. For example, this is why desktop computer sales have decreased. Yet, tablet and laptop sales have remained strong. Buyers like goods that have more than one key benefit.

Rational Buying Motive #6: Durable Products

The ability to withstand wear and tear is a major selling point for rational buyers. Here is an example. An intelligent person should want to purchase a computer that will last for years. He/she shouldn’t buy the cheapest, outdated model available that may be too slow to use a year later. It’s simple- buyers want to own products that will last for a long time. This need creates brand loyalty.

Rational Buying Motive #7: The Need for Convenience

Rational buyers get drawn to products that offer convenience. Say that your prospects feel that a product or service will save them time. This means there’s a strong chance that they’ll make a purchase. It’s human nature to like the convenience and seek it out when considering buying goods.

The Most Common Buying Motives of the Average Customer

You’ve now read about a lot of different buying motives. But don’t let yourself feel intimidated. Sometimes it’s best for a salesperson to follow his or her intuition to determine buying motives. Here is a more generalized list of buying motives to keep in mind. It may help to categorize prospective buyers into one of the following 6 categories. You can do so at any stage of the sales pipeline.

Common Buying Motive #1: Saving Money

There are few things customers desire more than feeling like they’ve saved hard-earned money. That’s because the buyers can then apply for their saved money elsewhere. They can save it for cars, houses, clothing, etc.

Common Buying Motive #2: The Customer Gets Motivated by Fear

This motive arises in all sorts of situations. A prospect could fear losing someone close to him or her. Or, that person could fear that their car might break down on the road. Customers get motivated to buy either when they’re in fear or to prevent the feeling of it. That’s why people like products that make them feel safe and secure.

Common Buying Motive #2: The Need for Pleasure

This concept applies whether it’s cheering on a favorite sports team or wanting to attract a date. Customers buy when they feel that they can get some pleasure in return. They like the emotional response that pleasure provides.

Common Buying Motive #3: Pain Reduction

This buying motive applies to almost anything. From paying for insurance to buying medical equipment that insurance won’t cover. Customers want pain out of their lives. That’s why they’ll shop for products that decrease or prevent pain.

Common Buying Motive #4: The Need for Love

Human beings will do anything for love. And that includes making big purchases. Studies have proven many people shop to keep their loved ones happy. Plus, they want to maintain the desire of a spouse or significant other.

Common Buying Motive #5: The Customer Has Pride

People desire to feel liked and accepted. And most of them are willing to spend money to get people to admire or respect them. That’s why prospects will shop for anything that makes others view them in a positive manner.

Sales Strategies: How to Determine Buying Motives

Listed below are some sales strategies. They can assist you in figuring out which buying motive applies to your prospect. Keep in mind that all sales are different. Even if you sell only one product, you’re going to have to incorporate a variety of strategies.

Buying Motive Sales Strategy #1: Ask the Customer Questions

When it comes to getting sales, it’s often best to be upfront. You never know what the prospect has in mind until you ask. “If I could help you save money on your phone bill every month, would this be of help to you?”

Buying Motive Sales Strategy #2: Look for Volunteered Comments

Say your prospect tells you the following. “My wife wishes we had more time to go to the beach.” You could bring up how your product saves people time. This is so the person can have more quality time with his wife. You see, sometimes the pretty beach house views in pictures aren’t enough. You have to listen to prospects well so that you will pick up on every hidden desire. One prospect might open up fast. But you might have to talk to another prospect for 30 minutes to infer hidden motivations. In fact, many prospects have pride when it comes to their buying motives. That pride leads to some of them wanting to keep their purchasing desire a secret. That’s why you’ve got to have curiosity as a salesperson. You must take someone’s information and apply it to your service or goods.

Buying Motive Sales Strategy #3: Pay Attention to Details

Prospects will clue you in on what their needs and wants, AKA buying motives, are. You have to listen to them word-for-word. For example, a prospect asks you, “Does it come in a different color?” This question implies that the prospect values appearance. He or she could want to impress other people. You can then describe other reasons why the product will look great in his or her home.

Buying Motive Sales Strategy #4: Feel Free to Observe

Think about buying motives whenever you talk to your prospects. The more you apply the concepts from this article, the faster you learn buying motives. And then you can determine what the buyer wants and make your sale. Prospects will have a different point of view. That’s why you’ve got to have the curiosity to put a spotlight on the point of view. Otherwise, consumer after consumer could reject you.

Focus on the Buying Motives of Each Customer

A prospects’ buying motives are going to vary case-by-case when you’re working in sales. That’s why it’s so crucial that you uncover each person’s unique motives. Every prospect has some form of underlying need. But only you can determine what that need is. But keep the following notion in mind. Prospects are not going to come out and inform you of what their underlying needs are. In fact, many of them might not have enough awareness of their own motives.

Sure, some prospects know what their buying motives are. But they don’t want to admit them to a salesperson. Why? Because they feel that communicating personal information will make them seem too exposed. Many psychologists have confirmed this concept over the years. Prospects feel vulnerable when admitting what they’re passionate about. Or, some prospects are uncomfortable discussing their fears/desires on an emotional level. This is why you’ve got to tailor your sales approach to each prospect.

Never annoy a prospect by asking too many questions. But try to get to the bottom of each person’s buying motives. The harder you work at this, the more sales you could generate over time.

Sales Training Can Teach You More About Buying Motives

One of the best ways to learn about buying motives for customers is to do sales training. The training will give you more selling power. Plus, it will help you with identifying the main customers of your company. These proven concepts have gotten published in recent years by Chintan. Once you know the motives for customers, you’ll tap into their emotional framework. This could lead to more people buying your product or services. Sure, you can’t undo a buyer’s personal preferences. But you can reinforce that what you’re selling will benefit all sorts of customers. The key is to make your particular shop or website stand out. And sales training can help you do so. It will also improve your marketing skills. Marketing is, of course, great for targeting people that make certain purchases. Sales and marketing go hand-in-hand. In fact, you can apply any tip in this article toward your marketing efforts for prospects.

Contact Us For Free Info About Buying Motives & Check Out Our Other Articles

What are the best buying motives that will give you the most sales? That’s for you to determine, depending on your industry. The buying motives of a consumer will vary. Everyone is a buyer. The faster you figure out the motivations of your buyers, the faster you will be able to make more sales. Are you interested in learning more about buying motives for customers? If so, please call or email our firm today.

Our experts can provide both free and premium sales strategy services. Plus, our training services get based on each unique seller. For example, say that you’re selling clothing. We’ll structure the buying motive training program around retail needs. This way, you will know how to get more purchases over time.

And it’s all thanks to recognizing the main buyer motives of customers. Yes, motives include plenty of different factors. But our experts will help you with all the important information. We even use advanced software that categorizes products and people. Feel free to check out our website for more information about buying motives. Also- let us know if you or your team needs marketing tips. Our firm has helped many corporations with their marketing tactics.