Have you seen How To SELL Anything?

This incredible sales handbook distils an expert's lifetime of sales and marketing experience and hands it to you on a platter, in a simple, easy-to-follow format. With existing customers being the most valuable source of income for any business, this book will teach you how to increase your return business and make more profit from your most loyal customers - and even how to reduce the costs of dealing with your least profitable customers.

Get it on Amazon (Kindle/Print)

Consumers making more decisions out-of-store

According to Connected Life, a study of over 60,000 connected consumers across 50 countries from global research consultancy TNS, seven in 10 shoppers in the UK (77%) and more than four in five (84%) worldwide say they carry out some form of research before making a purchase.

Nearly two thirds (62%) of UK shoppers do pre-purchase research online, compared to less than half (48%) offline, giving online retailers the upper hand when it comes to opportunities to influence shopper decisions. The data shows little difference in the amount of pre-purchase research by age group: 16-24 year olds consult approximately three pieces of information pre-purchase, compared to two sources for those aged 55-65.

It's not just big ticket items like cars, flights, technology, holidays and financial services products consumers seek information on - it's also cheaper everyday essentials such as shower gel, cosmetics, nappies and pet food. A surprising number of UK shoppers now adopt the considered, pre-planned approach previously reserved for high-ticket items, to buying lower-priced, regular shopping basket staples.

Over half (55%) of shoppers say they do pre-purchase research for personal care products such as skincare, perfume and cosmetics, 71% for baby care products and 41% for hygiene items such as deodorant and shower gel.

On the challenge this poses retailers, Lee Smith from TNS Shopper said: "Big data and the proliferation of internet devices and platforms amongst consumers means online retailers are learning what shoppers want and then re-serving them targeted, relevant content that informs their purchase decisions. Traditional retailers are struggling to keep up with this increasingly automated retail experience, which means we may see a decline in impulse shopping in-store. New business models are developing in which brands sell directly to consumers which enables them to circumnavigate offline retailers altogether."

Whether researching offline or online, the study reveals that 51% of shoppers globally make up their mind about the exact brand to buy before they shop. In the UK, four in 10 (41%) 'Decided' shoppers kept to their plan and purchased that exact brand. Only 10% were 'disrupted' while shopping, ultimately buying a different brand.

According to Smith: "Building brand equity is key, and the best way to win with these shoppers is help them find what they are looking for quickly: a good experience with the brand and site will lead to repeats in the future. The majority of shoppers start their mission with a good idea of the brand they intend to purchase. Brand and shopper teams need to work together to win: brand teams increase the share of shoppers decided on the brand, and shopper marketing closes the deal at the point of sale. There is still opportunity to influence shoppers to change their mind: almost half of UK consumers are open to brand choice when they start shopping. Relevant offers and incentives delivered at the right time - whether online or in-store - are crucial in winning over undecided shoppers as well as stimulating impulse buying."

Every brand touchpoint is a sales opportunity. In the UK, shoppers research their potential purchases across an average of three (2.6) 'touchpoints' before they make a decision. Nearly half (1.6) of these will be online. Shoppers in the US display a similar trend (2.7 touchpoints, 1.6 of them online).

People in Latin America, Developed and Emerging Asia are most likely to consult many more sources of information before making a purchase, with Malaysians the world's most considered shoppers by far, consulting 7.1 touchpoints, 4.1 of them online. In comparison, shoppers in Turkey (1.9) and South Africa (2.0) consult the fewest sources overall.

While many UK shoppers reach stores with a pre-researched decision to buy a particular brand, TNS' Connected Life research shows there is still appetite for new products. So-called 'Exploratory' buyers want to explore products available that meet their needs. This mindset presents a real opportunity for brands, particularly in FMCG and other low involvement product categories, which are increasingly commoditised. These types of shopper are easiest to influence, most likely to research online and are the highest spenders, and are prevalent in certain categories such as personal care (30%).

Smith concluded: "As consumers worldwide adopt a more considered approach to their purchases, brand owners and retailers can provide the information - and incentives - they need to make up their minds. This means they must stop thinking in terms of advertisements and start becoming content providers that offer relevant information and offers at every stage of the shopper journey. To be successful, brands, retailers and manufacturers need a deep understanding of how and where people research purchases to ensure the right kind of information is in the right place at the right time."

Have you seen How To SELL Anything?

This incredible sales handbook distils an expert's lifetime of sales and marketing experience and hands it to you on a platter, in a simple, easy-to-follow format.

With existing customers being the most valuable source of income for any business, this book will teach you how to increase your return business and make more profit from your most loyal customers - and even how to reduce the costs of dealing with your least profitable customers.

You'll learn to sell yourself, sell your products, and sell your brand on the internet, writing high-conversion landing pages, social media posts, and more. You'll start attracting customers you didn’t even know existed, and learn the top trade secrets for customer retention.

You'll become a lean, mean selling machine. See how the experts do it and learn to adapt what they've done for your own profit. You'll learn to write strong, powerful, effective sales copy, whether it's for a sales script, sales letter, flyer, insert, advert or just about anything else.

You'll learn how to sell whether you're selling by telephone, by mail, or even meeting prospects face-to-face. You'll find out how to size them up, present yourself, nail down their true needs, close the sale, and learn to tackle the tricky ones.

You'll discover the biggest secrets of successful direct mail sellers, sales letter writers, and how to segment and choose the right prospects for each campaign.

Get it on Amazon (Kindle/Print)