Influencing Customer Purchase Decisions

Influencing people and attracting customers with technology is all about leveraging digital tools, platforms, and strategies to build engagement, trust, and value. What can you learn from this bird? - **Personalization and Data Analytics:** - Create Personalized Experiences: Utilize data analytics and AI to tailor customer experiences, such as personalized product recommendations and custom content, fostering a sense of relevance and connection. - Gain Customer Insights: Analyze customer behavior to understand preferences and needs, enabling businesses to refine their offerings and messaging effectively. - **Social Media and Digital Presence:** - Boost Social Media Engagement: Platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn facilitate direct customer engagement through interactive content creation and community building around your brand. - Collaborate with Influencers: Partnering with influencers extends your reach by leveraging their follower base and credibility. - **Automation and AI-Driven Marketing:** - Implement Chatbots and AI Support: AI-driven chatbots enhance customer support responsiveness and service quality, while automation tools streamline communication through email marketing and CRM systems. - Leverage Predictive Marketing: Use AI to anticipate customer needs, ensuring satisfaction and loyalty. - **Interactive Technology:** - Offer AR/VR Experiences: Immersive AR/VR experiences enable customers to virtually try products, enhancing the buying process and engagement. - Develop Interactive Websites and Apps: Intuitive platforms boost customer satisfaction, driving longer interaction times and increased conversion rates. - **Trust through Transparency and Security:** - Ensure Blockchain and Secure Transactions: Utilize blockchain and encrypted payment systems to foster trust and ensure secure transactions. - Showcase Reviews and Testimonials: Use technology to display user reviews, ratings, and case studies, building trust through social proof. - **Innovative Product Features:** - Integrate AI and IoT: Products incorporating AI or IoT attract customers seeking cutting-edge solutions. - Offer Mobile Apps and Tools: Complement your product with apps or digital tools like fitness trackers and others. #ai #technology #marketing via @ferarrigophoto

The best marketing doesn’t look like marketing—it looks like excitement. This ₹19 lakh crore retail brand’s Delhi launch proved that when you design for shareability, customers become your biggest promoters-for free. Here’s what they did         Marketing today isn’t just about showing up—it’s about creating an experience that people want to talk about, both offline and online. Some of the most impactful campaigns start in the physical world before making waves in the digital space. Take IKEA’s Delhi launch, for example. Instead of relying solely on online ads, they built anticipation through a well-thought-out offline strategy that naturally sparked online conversations. I've observed these key elements in IKEA's strategy: 📍 Billboards that made people stop and wonder: They billboards were placed in Connaught Place and Cyber Hub, Also, they were featured countdowns and cryptic teasers, which builds the curiosity and excitement before the launch. 📍 A store made for the ‘Gram: Also, they designed a Life-sized IKEA shopping bags, cozy room setups, and interactive spaces which changed the store into a photo-worthy experience, encouraging visitors to snap, share, and spread the buzz. 📍 Early access that sparked FOMO: Influencers, journalists, and early visitors got a first look, and they sharied their excitement online and making everyone else wish they were there. 📍 Experiences worth talking about: From a Swedish café to live product demos, every detail was designed to make customers the brand’s biggest promoters—naturally. 📍 A seamless offline-to-online journey: QR codes on billboards and in-store displays made it easy to explore products, shop online, and stay connected—blending the physical and digital experience effortlessly. I believe the most valuable insight from IKEA's approach is that effective marketing doesn't require choosing between traditional and digital channels. The magic happens when you understand how they complement each other. Which recent store opening in your city created genuine excitement both offline and online? 

Every sales leader I talk to at the moment is struggling with some version of the same issue. The symptoms are different, but the underlying cause is the same. - Sales cycles elongating - Deal slippage - Prospects not showing up to meetings - An uptick in ghosting - Poor forecast accuracy - A drop in deal volumes - A drop in conversion rates What's actually happening out there in Buyer land? I've been delivering win-loss reviews for B2B companies around the world since 2011 and I'm seeing buyer behaviours I've never observed before... Let me break down some of them quickly for you and share some guidance on how to use these lessons to your advantage: Trend #1: Risk has jumped up the decision tree in order of importance, to the very top of the list for many clients, even more so when it's a new vendor. Action: Go deeper on risk in your discovery conversations, recognise that risk is both organisational and personal...find ways to better manage, mitigate and share risk with your clients...Be the low risk option. Trend #2: Value for Money, Responsiveness and Cost are consistently selected as the most important decision criteria by many clients. Action: Responsiveness should be an easy one to get right, but many sellers are stretched too thin right now...do less, but do it better. Trend #3: Change in Strategic Direction is the most frequently cited reason for customers coming to market for a new solution at the moment. Action: Try to reverse engineer this reason, to understanding what caused this change in direction and what it actually means for the business. These are your keys to the kingdom, when building a rock solid business case. Trend #4: Feedback from Peers and Colleagues has emerged as the most trusted information source for almost all respondents. Action: Case studies and customer references are losing their luster...find ways to tap into the trust which prospective clients have in their own peer network, as a way to unlock deeper connections and build trust. Trend #5: Customers are demanding more detail in the proposal documents, tender responses and business cases which they are receiving. Action: Put in the work, avoid the cookie-cutter responses, find your win themes and weave them in, share the detail they need to make an informed decision. I haven't got a crystal ball, so I can't tell you if/when the pendulum will swing back the other way, from a buyer behaviour perspective. What I can tell you with a high degree of certainty is that prospective customers have raised the bar, in terms of their expectations from their vendor partners. It's our job now to to elevate the preparation, patience and professionalism of B2B sellers everywhere, to meet these changing needs and maintain our relevance to the customers we serve.

“We’ve had other priorities take hold. Let's revisit in 2025.” Last week I talked to a rep that got blindsided. He spent 4 months on a sales cycle. Showed an 8x ROI. Only to get this: “Give us a call back in January.” I’ve been in client pipeline meetings where you could play a drinking game to this. Take a shot every time a rep loses a deal to ‘call back in six months.’ You’d be blind drunk 20 minutes in. Here's six reasons buyers “put things on pause." 1. You’re talking to the wrong person. WHO matters more than WHAT or HOW in sales. Right person at the right account? You can win even if you're sloppy. Wrong person at the wrong account? Nothing can save you. 20% of buyers generate 80% of revenue. Sell accordingly. 2. You uncovered a small brush fire disguised as a forest fire. Money follows pain. But only if that pain is big enough. You might meet with a buyer who goes on and on about a problem. But when they leave? Their Slack is lit up like a Christmas tree. They have 200 unread emails. They’re on calls from 7am to 7pm. They forget all about the “pain point” they shared with you. Find the pain that's stuck on an exec's "priorities slide." Not little sparks. 3. The sand shifted under your feet. Maybe you did uncover a big problem. But in today’s fast-moving world, priorities change fast. If you don’t stay on top of it, the rug will be pulled from your feet. Easy to say, hard to do. 4. You framed the value prop as a nice to have, not a must have. According to behavioral research, people are TWICE as likely to take action to avoid losing something they already have than they are to gain something they do not yet have. Which of those did you position your product to do? I bet it was the latter. 5. You positioned your product as incremental and 'better' rather than a NEW opportunity. People don’t want better. They want different. Why? Because if you sell the same thing but better, they have to admit that they made the wrong purchase decision before. If you position what you do as a NEW, different value prop, your buyer has less baggage.  As they say, "experience can be a handicap." 6. You were single-threaded and built no consensus. You can do all of these things until you’re blue in the face. But if you did it all with ONE person and they ghost you, you lose. Multi-threading is like an insurance policy for qualified deals. Those are the six reasons. What do you do about this? I'm sending a 6 part email series to fix each one: - Meet with 20% of buyers who generate 80% of revenue - Uncover big business pain that buyers spend money on - Stay on top of (and close) fickle deals and change - Sales messaging that disrupts the status quo - Position your product as a 'new opportunity' - Multi-thread your way to consensus Sending the first in a few days: How to sell to the 20% of buyers who give you 80% of your revenue. Receive these free here: https://lnkd.in/guqk4GVi Tag a seller who might like this post.

Your Competitor Isn’t Another Sales Organization In modern B2B sales, your biggest competitor isn’t a rival company. It’s your client’s fear of being wrong. Most decision-makers aren’t comparing your solution to someone else’s. They’re comparing action versus inaction. The risk of change feels greater than the pain of staying the same. Deals die quietly — not because your product failed, but because buyers lack the certainty to sign. Sales leaders often misread this. They push for more follow-ups, bigger pipelines, and better decks. But none of that fixes the real problem: your buyer doesn’t feel safe making a decision to change. Here’s how to fix it: 1️⃣ Lead with Insight — Start with a non-obvious idea that reframes the buyer’s world. 2️⃣ Reframe the Risk — Move from “What if this fails?” to “What if you don’t act?” 3️⃣ Transfer Confidence — Prove you understand their problem better than they do. 4️⃣ Build Consensus — Find the “CEO of the problem,” the one responsible for results. 5️⃣ Teach, Don’t Pitch — They buy rarely; you sell daily. Be their guide, not a vendor. Expertise is the new currency. Modern buyers don’t need pressure — they need confidence. #SalesLeadership #B2BSales #ModernSelling #OneUp #SalesStrategy

Here’s a reality check for retailers, customer reviews aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore. They’re your secret weapon. Remember when reviews were just star ratings, often ignored or worse, faked? If you told retailers five years ago that these little snippets would become their most trusted sales drivers, they might have smiled politely and moved on. But fast forward to today, reviews are the authentic currency of trust. Real customers, sharing real experiences. And it’s not just plain text anymore. Reviews have seriously leveled up. Now we’ve got video reviews, photos, unboxing clips, all that raw, real stuff customers post themselves. That’s the real game-changer. When someone can see the product in action or hear a customer’s voice, it cuts through all the noise. It makes the experience so much more relatable, and honestly, way more convincing. Let's be honest, it’s not enough to just collect positive reviews. The real skill, the one that separates great retailers from the rest is how you respond to negative feedback, especially when it’s out in the open. It’s tempting to ignore complaints or delete bad reviews. But addressing them publicly is an art. And I feel everyone should learn that. When done well, it shows customers you listen, you care, and you’re committed to getting better. And the returns will be quite huge. A public, thoughtful response can turn a frustrated buyer into a loyal advocate and send a powerful message to everyone watching. When shoppers see honest, detailed reviews — especially with photos or videos — it helps them feel confident about what they’re buying. It reduces hesitation, answers unasked questions, and creates that “I gotta have this” vibe. And the more reviews you have — good and bad — handled well, the more new customers you’ll attract. I’ve seen retailers lose customers by brushing off bad reviews, and I’ve seen others gain lifelong fans by owning mistakes openly. Trust isn’t built when everything’s perfect. It’s built when you’re honest, transparent, and responsive. So next time you get a negative review, don’t shy away. See it as a chance to build trust, not just fix a problem. Because in the world of retail, trust is the currency that moves the needle. What’s the best or worst way you’ve seen a retailer handle a customer review, did it make you a fan or a no-go? #retail #startups #reviews #marketing

Your deal just died. But not why you think. A sales rep just lost a $700K deal after four months of perfect execution. Seven stakeholders engaged. Technical requirements mapped. ROI proven at $22,000 per hour saved. The prospect went dark anyway. This wasn't price, features, or timing. It was fear. Their current vendor causes monthly outages. Costs them hundreds of thousands annually. Has terrible support. Everyone knows they need to switch. But switching means risking something worse. This is omission bias. The psychological principle that makes staying with known pain feel safer than risking unknown failure. Here's how the story should have ended: Instead of sending another proposal, the rep offered a free systems audit. No strings attached. Just pure value demonstration using their real environment. Next came a proof of concept. Not a demo. Not a sandbox test. Real work solving their actual problems with their actual data. Then he brought his CEO and head engineer on-site. Arrived two hours early to set up the room. Custom materials with their company branding. Catered the meeting. Drove them to dinner personally. But here's the crucial part: His engineers presented the technical solution. Not him. Awkward technical people explaining complex problems without sales polish. Just raw competence. The buyer's internal calculation shifted: "If they're this meticulous during the sales process, they'll probably be equally meticulous as our vendor." Every detail became evidence of future service quality. The early setup proved they'd be prepared for go-live. The engineer presentations proved they had real technical depth. The CEO's presence proved they'd have executive support when things got tough. They weren't buying software anymore. They were buying certainty. The deal closed three weeks later at full price with a three-year commitment. Most reps think stalled deals need lower prices. Wrong. Stalled deals need lower risk. Your prospects aren't comparing your features to your competitor's features. They're comparing the risk of choosing you to the safety of choosing nothing. When buyers ghost you, they're not rejecting your solution. They're choosing the comfort of familiar problems over the anxiety of unfamiliar solutions. Stop trying to win on merit. Start winning on confidence. The highest-value skill in enterprise sales isn't overcoming objections. It's preventing the fears that create objections. When you eliminate perceived risk from every stage of your sales process, price becomes irrelevant. — Sales Leaders! Need the systematic approach for turning risk-averse prospects into confident buyers? Get the Revenue OS: https://lnkd.in/ghh8VCaf. The framework that transforms your sales process into a trust-building machine.

One of the biggest reasons deals stall isn’t that buyers doubt your solution—it’s that they doubt their ability to make the right choice. Matt Dixon's research for The JOLT Effect found that 40% of lost deals are driven by customer indecision, not preference for a competitor. And Brent Adamson's new book The Framemaking Sale highlights that customers with high decision confidence are TEN TIMES more likely to make a purchase. Here are a few ways you can help buyers build confidence in themselves: 1. Reduce Decision Complexity According to Gartner, 77% of B2B buyers report their last purchase was “very complex or difficult." Streamlining options, providing decision guides, or recommending a clear best-fit reduces “analysis paralysis” and gives buyers confidence they aren’t missing something. 2. Reframe Risk in Personal Terms Buyers often fear personal blame more than organizational failure. Use case studies and peer validation to show how people in their role succeeded—helping them feel safe and supported in their choice. 3. Provide Buyer Enablement Tools Tools like ROI calculators, pre-built board decks, or checklists reduce the burden on them and demonstrate that they have what they need to decide. 4. Normalize Their Concerns The JOLT Effect also emphasizes “normalizing indecision” as a critical skill—buyers need to know hesitation is common and that you can guide them through it. Framing uncertainty as a normal step in the process reduces the shame that often delays action. 5. Signal Post-Decision Support Harvard Business Review highlights that buyers who see strong post-sale support are more confident in making initial commitments. Show them the path forward—onboarding, customer success, peer communities—so they know they won’t be left alone after purchase. Helping buyers feel personally confident and protected is as important as proving your product’s value. The most successful marketers and sellers don’t just build confidence in the solution—they build confidence in the decision-maker.

Growing a business requires a significant amount of strategic focus on acquiring new customers. Rolling out new products, expanding our target audience, and partnering with category-adjacent businesses are all critical strategies for scaling. However, an over emphasis on acquisition can often lead to losing sight of nurturing the people who've already chosen us. What's been on my mind lately is the real cost of falling into the "good enough" trap. While you're busy chasing new customers, another organization is working just as hard to win over yours. When complacency sets in, they're prepared to parachute in, make your customers feel like a priority, and communicate exactly what they can deliver to make them consider switching. Especially when consumers are increasingly price-conscious, scaling and growing your business isn't just an acquisition game. It's fundamentally about continually creating new ways to deliver value to your current customers. Here are some of my go-to approaches to deepen that connection and value with your existing audience: Predict and Reward: You have incredible data on what your customers do and want. Use it to stay one step ahead and deliver something that genuinely surprises them in the best way. Think proactive delight, not just reactive service. Build a Real Community: People crave belonging. They love being part of a group where they feel seen, heard, and valued. Whether it’s online spaces or in-person meetups, create a place where your customers can truly connect, share, and feel like they belong. That builds incredible stickiness. Go Above and Beyond: I had a shipping issue with a company recently, and they didn’t just fix it, they kept me updated every step of the way, apologized sincerely, and even provided extra products. It turned a momentary problem into a powerful moment of real trust and appreciation. We need to look at current customers differently. Instead of just viewing them as consistent buyers, we should see them as amplifiers, invaluable feedback providers, and crucial testers. They are often your strongest allies in scaling and growing your business because, when nurtured, they will grow with you.

I’ve thought a lot about what makes good retail recently. How do you persuade customers to keep coming back and feel part of something deeper than just buying stuff? The best example I've seen recently is the way Fanatics is building an obsessive cult following the opening of their store in London last year. Anyone walking through Central London this weekend will have seen the prevalence of National Football League (NFL) jerseys ahead of a double-header of American Football over consecutive Sundays at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. These fixtures are part of a growing international schedule, with games being played in Spain, Brazil, Germany and Ireland building the global NFL fanbase. Of course, merch sales are a critical part, and Fanatics are the exclusive partner at the heart of this, opening an NFL shop pop-up store on Carnaby Street. This is in addition to their flagship that was opened by Lewis Hamilton to street-closing fanfare last year, and is a supreme example of experience‑led retail, with every display, event, interaction, and touchpoint brilliantly choreographed. It is reminder how immersive retail can deepen consumer connection, especially in a passion‑driven category such as sports memorabilia and licensed merchandise. When the flagship opened, it was anchored by spectacle: a circular LED display suspended over a central card tower, live break tables, a “swap wall,” streaming studios, and micro‑events scheduled throughout each week. Fashion brands could learn a lot from how Fanatics prioritise needs of the customer and create the desire for regular return visits. The schedule of events in-store is extensive. Fanatics show that retail as theatre works best when it’s tied to core culture. Their events (grab bag breaks, swap nights, signing lines) are coherent with what collectors and superfans really care about. Secondly, in new markets they act as an educator and community builder. In regions where trading cards or memorabilia are niche, Fanatics are simultaneously a retailer and evangelist: hosting workshops, grading drop‑offs, drop culture education. Thirdly, the stores have become a content and amplification engine. The in‑house streaming studio, podcast recording, athlete appearances, and social content all feed their digital channels. Footage of signing sessions becomes content for fans who can’t visit the physical store, extending the reach and reinforcing brand equity. The moments that matter are often small, cumulative, and emotional. A collector arriving early for a signing, a parent bringing a child to witness a break, a fan returning to trade cards. These micro‑moments are what convert casual buyers into real advocates. Online can never match the power of great physical stores. How do another brands and sectors rip up their playbook and create their own retail fanaticism? DHR Global #courageousleadership