8 Buying Motives ALL Salespeople Should Know!

There are many different reasons why people buy your products or services. Often, they have more than one buying motive, making it harder to decipher the best approach to sell to them. In this article, we explore the 8 buyer motives all salespeople should know for driving sales and positioning themselves as the ideal solution provider.

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What is buyer motivation?

Many salespeople want to influence their customers to buy. However, this can’t be done without truly understanding their buyers’ motivations. So, what is a customer’s buying motive? It’s a set of psychological reasons that drive consumer behavior and compel them to make a particular purchase.

These buying motives usually fall into these three types of buying motive categories: Conscious vs. Dormant, Rational vs. Emotional, and Product vs. Patronage.

Conscious Vs Dormant Buying Motives

Conscious buying motives are identified by the buyers themselves. They are aware of what their motives are. In contrast, the dormant buying motives don’t influence buyers until your sales or marketing teams engage them. Dormant buying motives tap into a need your customer didn’t know they had until someone brought it to their attention.

Conscious buying motives in action: A retail manager actively searches for inventory management software because their current system is causing stockouts. They know exactly what problem needs solving.

Dormant buying motives uncovered: A sales rep demonstrates to the same manager how a CRM integration could prevent customer churn—something the manager hadn’t considered but immediately recognizes as valuable.

Rational Vs Emotional Buying Motives

Emotional buying motives influence a person to purchase based on emotional connections and factors possibly linked to feelings of security, social status, well-being, power, curiosity, love, affection, anxiety, desire to be praised, liked, or seen as attractive… anything that taps into our emotions. In contrast, rational buying motives are when consumers seek satisfaction by purchasing something based on rationalizing the purchase. For instance, by object-related criteria such as price, statistics, research, and so on.

Rational motives in practice: A procurement officer compares three vendors based on price points, delivery timelines, and maintenance agreements before making a selection.

Emotional motives at work: Despite a slightly higher price point, a decision-maker chooses a vendor they’ve previously worked with because they trust the relationship and feel secure about the outcome.

Product Vs Patronage Buying Motives

Product buying motives are a consumer purchasing a particular product, often motivated by the physical and psychological features—for instance, the design, color, size, package, quality, price, etc. In contrast, a Patronage motive influences a person to purchase products from a specific seller or producer.

Product motive example: A customer selects a specific laptop model based entirely on processing speed, screen resolution, and battery life specifications.

Patronage motive example: For example, consumers who solely buy Apple or Android products. This satisfies customers who prefer to buy products from sellers they know, like, and trust based on their customer service reputation.

Also read:

• Getting Your Foot In The Door with Prospects
• The Ultimate Guide To Selling To The C-Suite
• How Sales Reps Can Identify & Resolve 4 Common Customer Pain Points

8 Buying Motives All Salespeople Should Know

Next, we’ll explore the most prominent buying motives you need to consider when conducting a sales conversation with a prospect.

1. Financial Gain

Most B2B prospects are spending money to make money. So naturally, their primary motive is to utilize a product or service to improve their growth, revenue, or operations. For this reason, you need to be able to show, not tell, the benefits of your product or service.

However, the problem with prospects motivated by financial gain is that often, they have more at stake than just money. They’re often buying on behalf of their business and company – and will need solid assurance they’re in good hands – after all, their career is on the line.

How to sell to financially-motivated buyers: To successfully sell to financial buying motives, set your prospect at ease about their buying decision with proof devices such as demonstrations, test results, and case studies. Focus on ROI calculations, cost-benefit analysis, and payback periods. Provide detailed breakdowns showing exactly how your solution impacts their bottom line. Use data visualization tools to illustrate projected savings or revenue increases over time.

Example: A sales rep selling inventory management software presents a customized projection showing how a manufacturing company can reduce carrying costs by 18% in the first year, leading to $237,000 in direct savings, while also including testimonials from similar companies that achieved comparable results.

2. Need

Need is one of the most apparent buying motives. For instance, if your prospect has a problem that you can solve, they’re immediately going to consider your product or service at the very least. Sometimes, though, prospects aren’t aware of their need and need to be inspired or guided by the salesperson. For instance, with provocative selling, you’re focusing on raising attention to uncover issues. This method allows you to position yourself as the expert, walking your prospect through how to solve this issue with you – the ideal solution provider.

How to sell to need-based buyers: Focus on clear problem-solution mapping. Demonstrate a precise understanding of their pain points and show how when they buy your product or service solve each one specifically. Use comparison charts showing life before and after implementing your solution.

Example: A cybersecurity firm identifies specific vulnerabilities in a prospect’s current system through a complimentary audit, then presents targeted solutions that address exactly those weaknesses, making the need impossible to ignore and positioning themselves as the obvious solution provider.

3. Health

Considering how turbulent 2020 was, it’s no surprise that many more consumers are taking steps to protect their well-being. Therefore, a health buying motive is about leveraging the fact that the prospect wants to live well and for longer. What is the key to selling to these types of consumers? Proof devices such as demonstrating the efficacy of your product.

How to sell to health-motivated buyers: Focus on scientific evidence, third-party certifications, and tangible health outcomes. Present before-and-after scenarios and emphasize how customers feel with the peace of mind that comes from addressing health concerns.

Example: A company selling air purification systems for office buildings provides air quality test results from similar installations, highlighting specific pollutant reduction percentages and correlating improved air quality with decreased employee sick days and increased productivity.

4. Impulse

Everyone gets caught in the heat of the moment, which is why it’s important to remember that impulse is a great buying motive. The foundation of an impulse buying motive is excitement and urgency, which can motivate prospects to act quickly. For instance, promotional pricing tactics like countdowns, flash sales, or limited-time-only offers always work effectively.

How to sell to impulse buyers: Create a sense of scarcity and urgency. Use time-limited offers, highlight low stock levels, or emphasize exclusive opportunities. Studies suggest urgency tactics like countdown timers can boost conversions by 14.41% (source: Optimonk). Keep the purchasing process frictionless with minimal steps between decision and completion.

Example: An online retailer shows “only 3 left in stock” indicators and adds a countdown timer for their free shipping promotion while ensuring their mobile checkout process requires just two clicks to complete a purchase, resulting in a 24% increase in conversion rates.

5. Pleasure

Not everyone buys just the basics. Consumers often make purchases that aren’t essential but are for the sole purpose of indulging themselves. For this reason, if you’re only trying to appeal to this buying motive, then you can easily consider your product or service to be “luxury.”

How to sell to pleasure-seeking buyers: Focus on the experience rather than just the product. Use sensory-rich language, emphasize exclusivity, and paint a vivid picture of the enjoyment they’ll receive. Position your offering as a deserved reward.

Example: A luxury hotel doesn’t just sell rooms; they showcase immersive experiences like personalized spa treatments and private dining with ocean views, appealing to perhaps executives who want to reward themselves after closing major deals.

6. Fear

Fear is a powerful motivator for action – this applies to most situations, and it’s no different for buyers. Many businesses play on the factor of fear to create a sense of urgency in their sales and marketing strategies. While this may seem unethical in a sense, all you’re really doing is highlighting your prospect’s needs – maybe even one they’re ignoring!

How to sell to fear-motivated buyers: Present both the risk of inaction and the security your solution provides. Use credible statistics about potential negative outcomes, followed immediately by how your solution prevents them. Be careful to remain ethical and avoid manipulation.

Example: A data backup service shares industry statistics on ransomware attacks and average downtime costs, then demonstrates their automated recovery process that has helped clients restore operations in under 30 minutes, dramatically reducing potential losses.

7. Acceptance

Acceptance is known as the buyer motive responsible for most trends. It all stems from the consumer’s fear of missing out (FOMO). This is why certain products or services skyrocket in interest and then usually fall into obscurity after a while. Nobody wants to miss out on the next big thing, and everybody wants to be involved – that’s why acceptance is a vital buying motive all salespeople should know.

How to sell to acceptance-motivated buyers: Highlight widespread adoption among peers or aspirational groups on social media. Use social proof mechanisms like user counts, notable clients, and trending indicators. Create communities around your product that buyers can join.

Example: A SaaS company prominently displays logos of industry leaders who use their platform and shares stories of how membership in their user community has led to valuable professional connections, making prospects feel they’ll miss important opportunities if they don’t join.

8. Self-Improvement

Here at SOCO, we always believe that learners are earners – that’s why purchases of our sales training courses aren’t likely to be out of pleasure. Instead, those looking to excel in their careers are often motivated by self-improvement and financial gain to an extent.

How to sell to self-improvement motivated buyers: First, appeal to their determination by providing them with a challenge and reassurance that they’ll be more well-respected in the area they’re trying to improve by purchasing your product. Focus on transformation narratives and achievable milestones. Show clear paths from current state to desired outcomes of personal growth. Offer ongoing support and progress tracking to reinforce commitment.

Example: A professional development program shares specific career advancement statistics of past participants, provides a structured roadmap with clear milestones, and includes regular check-in sessions with success coaches, appealing to ambitious professionals looking to accelerate their career growth.

Beyond the Core 8: Additional Buying Motives Worth Understanding

While the eight primary buying motives above form the foundation of most purchasing decisions, adapting your sales strategies to address additional buying motives gives you an extra edge in today’s competitive marketplace.

Convenience

Nowadays,  buyers prioritize solutions that save time and reduce effort. This motivation drives the massive growth in services offering same-day delivery, one-click purchasing, and simplified processes.

How to sell to convenience-motivated buyers: Highlight how your product or service simplifies life or business operations. Focus on features like accessibility, user-friendly interfaces, and time-saving benefits. For B2B sales, emphasize how your solution reduces steps in their workflow or integrates seamlessly with existing systems.

Example: A software company that emphasizes their “plug-and-play” implementation that requires minimal IT support wins over busy executives who dread complex rollouts.

Social Influence

Many purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by what others think, recommend, or are using themselves. This motivation explains why testimonials, reviews, and social proof are such powerful sales tools.

How to sell to socially influenced buyers: Showcase testimonials and customer reviews from similar clients, emphasize your market share, and highlight recognition from industry leaders. Create opportunities for prospects to see others successfully using your solution.

Example: A telecommunications provider that showcases how industry leaders have adopted their communication platform creates immediate credibility with prospects who aspire to match those leaders’ success.

Quality Assurance

Some buyers are primarily motivated by the assurance that what they’re purchasing will perform reliably and last longer than alternatives, even if it comes at a premium price.

How to sell to quality-focused buyers: Focus on durability, reliability statistics, warranty information, and the long-term value proposition. Detail your quality control processes and testing standards.

Example: A manufacturer that provides transparent data about product longevity and backs it with an extended warranty attracts buyers who calculate cost over time rather than upfront pricing.

Understanding these additional motivations allows you to identify and address them when they’re present alongside the core eight buying motives we discussed above. The most successful sales professionals recognize that multiple motivations are usually at play and adapt their approach accordingly.

How can you identify your prospect’s strongest buying motives?

Below are the three particular skills related to consultative selling that can help you quickly identify your prospect’s strongest buying motive if you suspect that there is more than one:

Active listening

Too many sales professionals think they need to do all of the talking when meeting with prospects. They tell them everything about their product or service. They dominate the conversation, leaving little time for the prospect to share anything about themselves or what they’re looking for. Stop focusing on trying to sell and concentrate on being an active listener. By expressing genuine interest in the person in front of you, you’re making them feel valued, which will build trust quickly and naturally create a real personal connection. As the conversation progresses, you’ll find that you have common goals and different ways in which you could help each other or even help your business with a specific need.

Ask the right questions

Ask probing questions to uncover problems. Prospects will not naturally tell you their challenges; you have to probe them by asking the right questions gently. Customers purchase products or services based on their needs, so it’s important first to know the issue, and only then you can sell the solution.

Research your prospects

It’s simple. Do your research before you sit down with a prospect so that you can plan precisely what you need to achieve from it – making you far more likely to get the outcome you want. Tighten up your processes and maximize your sales results by familiarising yourself with prospects’ traits, qualities, and personalities by discovering 9 different types of prospects.

Understanding buying motives is crucial across all industries. For example, in specialized fields like telecommunications, sales professionals need to be particularly adept at identifying and addressing unique industry-specific motivations.

This skill, combined with in-depth product knowledge, can significantly enhance a salesperson’s effectiveness in complex sales environments.