Fear is most definitely a factor for you.

If you are in marketing, you have to know the role that fear plays in your customer’s decision making process, and how you can alleviate that fear to close more sales.

Before purchasing something for the first time, every consumer, whether they are aware of it or not, is experiencing some level of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of being ripped off. Fear of not getting what we need or want. And in today’s age, fear of giving up personal information online.

When the benefits outweigh the costs, you get yourself a new customer. But it’s not all about monetary costs. Fear is a factor that you have to overcome in your marketing and checkout processes.

How do you overcome consumers’ fears?

1. Lower Prices – one of the biggest fears customers have is spending a lot of money on something they don’t like or don’t need. So you can combat that fear with lower prices. If an item is less expensive, there is less risk to the customer.
2. Testimonials – of course it’s not always possible or practical to lower prices, so testimonials can help alleviate those same concerns. Real customers sharing their experiences through video or online reviews can tell future customers that the purchase is worth it.
3. Badges and Honors – are you accredited by the BBB or licensed by some regulating body? Have you earned an industry honor you’re proud of? Any of these things can serve as third-party verification of your own marketing claims, and reassure potential customers that you’re not there to rip them off.
4. Free Trials – why not make it free and get rid of all the concern over getting ripped off? That’s what a free trial allows you to do. Let people take your product or service for a test run before they have to drop cold hard cash on it.
5. Consultative Sales Process – if you give your prospective customers the chance to speak with a knowledgeable sales agent, you give them a chance to ask all of the questions they want asked before they make a decision. This is vital for products and services that are higher cost where the purchase process is a little longer and more involved.
6. FAQs – if you don’t have a sales team or a consultative sales process, a simple online FAQ can make the difference between someone walking away and someone getting the information they need to complete a sale. Survey your customers to find out what their most common questions about your product are and answer them all in one place on your website.
7. Experience Setting – you can use images, videos, graphics, or descriptions to show people what their lives will actually be like after becoming a customer. Product details and photos can answer a lot of the questions people have when making an online purchase.