Your audience is not ready to buy.
It’s a hard fact to swallow – but your audience & email list are not ready to commit. And it’s not because your discount isn’t big enough. In fact, your audience NOT being ready to buy has little to do with YOUR product.
Read that again – and let it sink in.
The majority of people are not buying because they’re not ready to commit the resources required to make use of what they buy to the point where it makes logical sense.
It’s something you should ACKNOWLEDGE and COACH in your sales emails. And I have a really good example in this week’s #emailreview from Chris Orzechowski.
At a surface level, here are some of the reasons your audience might not convert (but remember, there is always a deeper layer of motivation, more on that later on this page)
- Need Recognition: Consumers may not immediately recognize a need for the product or service being offered. It takes time for them to realize that the product or service can address a particular problem or fulfill a desire.
- Information Gathering: Consumers want to gather sufficient information to make an informed decision. They seek out reviews, compare prices, and assess product features to ensure they’re getting the best value for their money.
- Trust Building: Establishing trust is crucial for consumers before they make a purchase. They may need time to research the brand, read testimonials, or evaluate the product’s reputation to feel confident in their decision.
- Evaluation of Alternatives: Consumers often evaluate multiple options before making a purchase. They want to compare different products or services to find the one that best meets their needs and preferences.
- Budget Considerations: Financial constraints may also play a role in delaying purchase decisions. Consumers may need time to budget or save up before they can afford to make a purchase.
But if your audience isn’t limited by budget (great savings, or affluent segment), and if you’ve moved your audience in their customer journey beyond the initial steps of need recognition, research, evaluation of alternatives and trust building, then you’re probably looking at this:
Procrastination and making excuses, such as waiting for the right time, influence decision-making processes.
Procrastination refers to the tendency to delay or postpone tasks, often due to a lack of motivation or a desire to avoid discomfort.
In the context of purchasing decisions, some consumers may procrastinate because they feel overwhelmed by the choices available, are uncertain about their needs, or simply prefer to delay making a decision until absolutely necessary.
This behavior can prolong the purchase journey and may require additional efforts from businesses to re-engage procrastinating consumers.
Consumers may also make excuses or justify delaying a purchase by claiming they are waiting for the right time.
This could be due to various reasons, such as waiting for a sale, waiting until they have more disposable income, or waiting for external factors (e.g., seasonal changes, upcoming events) to align before making a decision. While these reasons may seem valid to the consumer, they can contribute to prolonged indecision and may require businesses to implement strategies to overcome objections and incentivize action.
Coaching your audience through false beliefs, procrastination, and making excuses is a great way to move them from inaction and into a state of curiosity that opens them up for new opportunities.
Watch this week’s email review to see how A-list copywriters do it.
Want to learn email copywriting?
Start by analyzing what others are doing. My Email Teardown series showcases some of the best (and sometimes worst) examples of sales emails that have hit my inbox. Here’s the link to the playlist. I publish new email reviews every week.
Are you a course creator?
Email marketing is one of those channels you should be developing early on in your business. Here are The 9 Email Automations Every Course Creator Needs to make bank, enroll students, and nurture audiences.
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Hi! I’m Monica. I help course creators enroll, engage, and educate audiences through customer-centric email copywriting. I’ve been privileged to partner with course creators from all over the world. And I’ve seen this customer-centric approach to email marketing work every time.
The best part? It’s not about the sale.
Email marketing is a fantastic channel because it builds trust, delivers value, and positions the brand as a partner. Read more on my blog or listen to Master The Inbox, the podcast where I share all my conversion secrets.