Purchase Decision Makers

Finally, a point to consider is, given the characteristics of your offering, what type of decision maker will most likely be interested in purchasing from you. It may be beneficial to rank your prospects based on the following classifications. While you may not be able to make this classification of the prospect prior to the first contact, if your sales personnel are sensitive to these characteristics it can strongly influence your sales strategy.

Ultra Conservative - don't rock the boat, whatever they purchase must be consistent with their current way of doing things.

• They are most likely interested in products/services that are improvements to existing offerings rather than something new.
• Once established as a customer they are seldom inclined to review alternatives.
• Very negative to technically complex offerings or offerings requiring extensive user education.
• Cost effective offerings are only of interest if they don't disturb the status quo.
• They are likely to react positively to any volume purchasing opportunities.

Conservatives - are willing to change, but only in small increments and only in a very cost effective manner.

• Will consider new products/services but only if related concept has been proven to be effective. More likely to purchase improvements to existing offerings.
• Will probably want to review competitive offerings, but will gravitate to best known offering with lowest risk decision.
• Negative to neutral when considering technically complex offerings or offerings requiring extensive user education.
• Strongly influenced by cost effective offerings and/or 'best price' opportunities

Liberals - regularly looking for new solutions, willing to make change (even major change) if the benefit can be shown.

• Will usually consider new products/services even if the related concept has not yet been proven to be effective, but only if the potential benefits can be specified and understood.
• Wants offerings that make effective use of technology, but is not interested in offerings just because they use a certain technology.
• Will always want to review competitive offerings, but will usually choose the one offering the greatest benefit, even if there is some risk involved.
• Neutral to positive when considering technically complex offerings or offerings requiring extensive user education.
• Usually concerned with keeping employees informed and educated, so will often consider educational offerings.
• Strongly influenced by offerings that most closely deliver the 'end results' desired, even if they are not the most cost effective.
• Often are on social trend bandwagons so react positively to offerings that address these needs.

Technical Liberals - enamored with the benefits provided by high tech solutions and any purchase decision will be biased by the technical content of the offering.

• Usually consider new products/services even if the related concept has not yet been proven to be effective.
• Often consider just because they use a certain technology.
• Will always want to review competitive offerings, but will usually choose the one offering the most hi-tech features, even if there is some risk involved.
• Consider themselves technically competent and will expect leading edge use of technology.
• Positive to fanatic when considering technically complex offerings even when requiring extensive user education.
• Conversion costs usually not a major concern if technical benefits are there.
• Not particularly concerned with keeping employees informed and educated, so educational offerings are not of great interest.
• Strongly influenced by offerings that most closely deliver the 'end results' desired, even if they are not the most cost effective.

Self Helpers - consistently defines/designs solutions to their problems, likes to acquire tools that help in the innovation process.

• Will usually consider new products/services, but the related concept must have been proven to be effective.
• Often consider just because they use a certain technology that is relevant to the development program they have underway.
• Will always want to review competitive offerings, but will usually choose the one offering the most effective 'do it yourself' features.
• Usually consider themselves technically competent and will expect very effective use of proven technology.
• Not especially inclined toward technically complex offerings, would rather have user friendly, but thought provoking, offerings.
• Conversion costs usually not a major concern if offering promises potential for innovation.
• Usually concerned with keeping employees informed and educated, so educational offerings are of interest.