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I rarely put articles on this page, but this one is so dynamic and helpful that I couldn't resist. Hope it will help you in your marketing and sales efforts. Don't forget there is a three chapter excerpt from Marks book in this article.

Why Clients Don't Buy-- and;The Hierarchy of Choice
Copyright © 2008 Mark Silver

So you struggle over getting all the details just right, like pricing and timing, and all the other features included in your offers so your best clients will buy from you. So why aren't they buying?

It's because all of those details are actually the least important part of a purchasing choice.

One common misconception says that human beings make choices based on what's best for them, but that falls apart really quickly in the aftermath of several empty tubs of ice cream, as you hold your stomach and groan, "Why did I do that again"?

There's a slightly more sophisticated version, which says that we make choices based on emotions, flinging rationality out the window. Well, this has a little more truth, but how many times have you, or someone you know, seesawed back and forth on a decision, unable to come to grips with it? Emotions do form a big part of who we are, but we aren't run by them.

The truth is, there is no one particular way we make choices. Our decision-making apparatus is complex with many different variables wired in. There are many eminent cognitive scientists who can speak in much more detail than I can, so I'm just going to paint the picture with three broad strokes so that you understand how our choices cascade and in what order the variables apply.

Yes, that's right: the variables apply in a certain order. Humans make decisions in a cascading manner. When a choice is presented to one of us thinking bipeds, there is something we consider first, then second, then third. So what are those things?

The One-Two-Three of Your Customers' Decisions

The first thing any human looks for in a decision is an answer to this question: "Does it match my identity? Will this decision put me inside or outside my 'tribe'?"

Belonging is such a deep, primal need. And no wonder. We human beings are not very adept at surviving on our own. First of all, we like company. Second, we?re not really well equipped to survive in the face of predators, and so there's safety in numbers.

Being ostracized from your tribe is tantamount to death. No wonder it's our first priority. So, when faced with any choice, the very first thing we?re thinking is: "If I do this, do I risk losing my tribal membership?" Here's how an executive of a global corporation explained it to a consultant I know: "We've come to the conclusion that our customers make their decisions exclusively on their values." Values are things you believe in or hold dear. And where do values come from? They mostly come from your community, your tribe. It's a way of identifying who you belong to, by identifying what you care about.

This is the single most important consideration in any decision. Remember this, because the need for identity is the foundation of why Worldview is so important to your business.

If you want proof of whether this is correct or not, take a look at how consistently wars have happened throughout history. Whatever the reason the leaders had for starting a war, soldiers choose to risk their lives because of patriotism--defense of the tribe. Unhealthy lifestyle choices can fit into the same category. The ego can identify so strongly with things like smoking or drinking or extreme sports that it won?t let go, even when facing the likelihood of dying. Identity is the trump card in the human decision-making tree.

And Numbers Two and Three in the Hierarchy of Choice?

The second choice in the decision-making hierarchy, once it passes the tribal test, is "Do I need or want what this choice will bring me?" Personal choice and need comes more into play once your very identity is no longer at risk. What you want for dinner, what you want to achieve in life, what color iPod you want all fall into this second level of choice.

There is a strong distinction between need and want--generally want is more powerful than need except in extreme cases. You can see this when someone has a heart attack and they quickly quit smoking and start eating a healthy diet. But as the event fades into the past, they fall more and more easily back into their desires for bacon and mashed potatoes with melted butter, instead of the brussels sprouts and broccoli that will help keep them alive.

Finally the choice come down to: "Okay, this decision keeps me in the tribe, and I want or need it. Now, is it possible for me? Do I have the resources to make this choice?" Logically, you would expect the possibility to come second instead of last, but that's a testament to human ingenuity and persistence. We first figure out if we need or want something, and then we see if it's possible.

Don't Get Stuck on the Third Choice

When your customers aren't buying, it's often easiest for you as a business owner to go to that third choice: "Can I make it more affordable for my customers?" Sometimes, if business owners have thought it through a little more or have had some marketing training, they'll climb one higher on the decision tree, putting more intention to helping a client decide whether they want or need the offer.

Very few businesses spend time deciding which world they live in and which world their best clients live in. But the ones who do see results. Let me give you some pointers.

Keys to Implementing the Hierarchy of Choice