How to show customers the value of your product

 Show Customers the Value

A well-known quotation goes like this: "I don't mind buying; I just don't like being sold." That expression rings true for a lot of Internet buyers. They don't mind buying more, even high-ticket items, if they feel they are getting more value than they're giving up. Whether it's $5, $500, or $5000, there's a buyer at each one of those price points if you, the seller, can convince him that he will get at least double his money back from the purchase.

It’s not the dollar amount per se; it’s the amount of expected return.

It's not about selling cheap, low-ticket items but about remembering that buyers always want more than they're willing to give.

You have to show them very clearly the value of what you're offering. It's the classic distinction between features and benefits. Features are things that a product can do, but benefits are what those features can do for the buyer. You need to focus on the benefit to the buyer by showing exactly what the buyer will be able to get by purchasing your product.

Today's Internet shoppers are savvy and skeptical. They’ve seen all kinds of gimmicks and scams and may have lost money in the past. With such a high level of skepticism, Internet buyers today must understand clearly what the product can do for them before they are willing to pull out their credit card.

"Focus on the benefit to the buyer by showing exactly what the buyer will be able to get by purchasing your product."

There must be a reasonable match between the values the product is offering and the price that customers are being asked to pay. If there's too much of a discrepancy between the two, buyers will be suspicious. They’ll think either that you're trying to scam them if the price is too high, or that there must be a trick if the price is too low. You can't really blame them, because there are many Internet marketers who are employing all kinds of unethical strategies just to get the buyer to click on the Buy Now button.

But you've already decided that you're going to be different – that's good.

What can you do to help buyers understand the value in your product?

1. Show the value:

 This is the point we've been discussing. You must reiterate the benefits of your product so that the buyer comes to associate those benefits with your product. Use every platform available: affiliate ads, banner ads, pay-per-click click campaigns, even classified ads. Your goal is that your product becomes synonymous with the benefits that it offers the buyer. When the buyer thinks of a particular problem, you want him to think of your product as the only solution for that problem.

2. Be unique:

 The marketplace today is flooded with products competing with yours, many of which are almost indistinguishable. What can you do to make your product stand out? You have to find something about your product which is new or unique. People are very interested in the latest thing. No one is interested in last year's model, whether it's a cell phone, a DVD player, or car. People don't want average products, and they don't want outdated products. They want the latest thing so they can show their friends and brag on the great deal they got. You need to be aware of this tendency and market toward it. If you think you should be subtle, don't. Be bold and direct. Make sure the buyer knows what you have to offer compared to all the other products which seem very similar.

3. Offer a guarantee:

 Yes, it's true that some scam artists will put a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" image on their website with no intention whatsoever of offering money back to dissatisfied customers, much less answering an e-mail from a disgruntled customer. We've already determined that you are committed to be a different kind of online marketer. Giving a money-back guarantee gives the buyer a sense of reassurance when shopping on your website. If you're hesitant to give a full money-back guarantee, consider a free trial version with an expiration date, or a basic model with an offer to upgrade later to a premium model if the buyer is satisfied. The main point is that the buyer has to be convinced that you stand behind your product.

4. Be honest: 

There's really not another way to say this. It's true that every salesperson is committed to magnifying the benefits of this product and minimizing weaknesses. No one is asking you to do anything different. You must believe in the value of your product and be able to communicate that value to the buyer. There are so many fly-by-night websites that make all kinds of claims and then disappear after a short period of selling online. The classic golden rule is one of the best guidelines for this aspect of your business: treat others as you would want to be treated. And it's also good to remember that people communicate more openly on the Internet about the experiences they've had. You want to do all you can to protect your online reputation. The last thing you want is blog posts and forum comments with consistently critical comments about your product. That's death to an online business. Be honest, be proud of your product, and be truthful about what it can and can't do. You may lose some sales in the short term, but in the long run your business will be built on a more solid foundation.

Be Authentic, Responsive, and Real

One of Henry Ford's famous quotes is, "People can buy the Model T in whatever color they want, as long as it's black." As any car dealer can tell you today, those days of consumers accepting what they are offered are long gone. Buyers are finicky, they want what they want, and they don't like being told what they can or can't purchase. The days of cranking out products without concern for the interests of the buyer will never return. Online buyers who are succeeding today offer a wide variety of choices or even customizable products.

People want products made for them, and the more unique, the better.

Any successful salesperson knows that establishing a relationship first is a big advantage, both in closing the deal and in developing future business. In the same way, an online marketer must let his true personality come through. You simply cannot hide behind the pages of your website. Companies that are succeeding in selling online demonstrate a personal touch in a variety of ways.

Here are a just a few examples:

• Auto-responders allow companies to personalize e-mails, using the first name of a potential buyer and making the e-mail sound as if it were written just for that buyer.

"Establishing a relationship first is a big advantage, both in closing the deal and in developing future business."

• A money-back guarantee that is personally backed by the seller's name and even a photograph can be a very powerful tool for combating buyer’s remorse. People want to know that they're dealing with a person, and that person stands behind the product.

• Blogs are one of the greatest tools for showing your personal side. Customers appreciate interacting with the seller, before and after the purchase, so that they know they can get help if they need it, and they won't be left out in the cold.

• Successful online retailers have 24/7 support systems for their clients. Many people who shop online are doing it from a different time zone than the seller, or late at night, long after brick-and-mortar businesses have closed their doors for the evening. Customers need to know that they can get support at any time.

• Interactive surveys, especially in conjunction with a free gift, provide a great way for companies to interact on the personal level with their customers. The survey results also provide valuable market research, so that companies can target their offerings to the ever-changing needs of the consumer.

• It's important that there are products in all price ranges, whether you are selling products or services. Sometimes a customer simply wants to test the quality of your product without committing to a higher priced item, and some customers just don't have a lot of money to spend at this time. By offering lower priced items, you can give them a taste for the product and for the way the company interacts with its customers. Many of these customers who entered at a low price point will upgrade and stay with the company long-term, and they’re satisfied with the treatment they've been given.

The days of the black Model T are long gone. Customization, personalization, and flexibility are the name of the game.

You need to be real, visible, and accessible if you want to succeed online.