1. 8 Selling Today The Buying Process and Buyer Behavior CHAPTER
10th Edition
CHAPTER
Manning and Reece 8
The Buying Process and Buyer Behavior

2. Customer Strategy Defined
“A customer strategy is a carefully conceived plan that results in maximum customer responsiveness. One major dimension of this strategy is to achieve a better understanding of the customer’s buying needs and motives.”

3. Strategic/Consultative Selling Model
FIGURE
8.1

4. Complex Nature of Customer Behavior
Individual customers perceive the product in their own terms
The customer is a person, not a _______________
Companies that fully accept this ____________ are likely to adopt a one-to-one marketing strategy

5. Consumer versus Organizational Buyers
Consumer buyer behavior refers to the buying behavior of individuals and households who buy goods and services for personal consumption
Business (organizational) buyer behavior refers to the organizations that buy goods and services for use in the production of other products and services that are sold, rented, or supplied to others

6. Types of Consumer Buying Situations
Habitual buying situations
Variety-seeking buying situations
Complex buying situations

7. Achieving Alignment
The buying process is a systematic series of actions, or a series of defined, repeatable steps, intended to achieve a result
Salespeople need to be clear on how __________ are being made
Acquire _________ information rather than make generalizations about the buyer’s decision-making process

8. Steps in the Buying Process
FIGURE
8.3

9. Steps in the Buying Process
Need awareness
Salespeople can create value by determining problems and identifying solutions
Evaluation of solutions
Salespeople can create _____ by providing useful information
Resolution of problems

10. Steps in the Buying Process
Purchase
Salespeople create value by arranging financing or _____________ and installation
Implementation
Value creation involves timely delivery, _______________, accurate invoicing, or follow-up contacts by the salesperson

11. Understanding Buying Processes
Transactional buyers
Salespeople can eliminate any unnecessary costs or delays
Consultative buyers
Salespeople focus __________ on needs awareness/help customer evaluate solutions
Strategic alliance buyers

12. Buyer Resolution Theory
Why should I buy? (need)
What should I buy? (product)
Where should I buy? (source)
What is a fair price? (price)
When should I buy? (time)

13. Customer Strategy Model
FIGURE
8.5

14. Basic Needs—Maslow Physiological: food, shelter
Security: free from danger
Social: identification with social groups, friendship
Esteem: desire to feel worthy in eyes of others
Self-actualization: need for mastery, self-fulfillment
FIGURE
8.6

15. Group Influences
FIGURE
8.7

16. Group Influences Role: expectations associated with position
Reference groups: categories of people you see yourself belonging to
Social class: group with _________ values, interests, lifestyles
Culture: influences of group with common language, environment, also subcultures

17. Perception: Customer Need Formation
“Facts are negotiable. Perception is rock-solid.”
Selective attention: We tend to screen out certain messages information overload
Buyers conditioned by social-cultural background and need to use various selective processes
Salespersons should encourage client to discuss “perceptions” of products

18. Buying Motives
A buying motive is an aroused need, drive, or desire that stimulates behavior to satisfy the aroused need
It’s helpful to discover the “dominant buying motive” or DBM
Four basic motive types—emotional, rational, patronage, and product

19. Emotional and Rational Motives
Acts due to passion or sentiment
Emotional appeals common
If two products are identical, the salesperson who “connects” has the advantage
Rational
Acts on reason or judgment
Relatively free of emotion
Salespeople gather, interpret, and disseminate customer-specific information

20. Customers Can Make Better Decisions Using:
See the Website

21. Patronage and Product Motives
Buy from a particular firm
Past experience positive
Relevant elements: superior service, product selection, competent sales staff
Product
Buyer believes one product is superior to others
Preferences for: specific brands, quality, price, design/engineering