How a Buyer’s Guide Can Help You Grow Your Business

How a Buyer’s Guide Can Help You Grow Your Business

Does your company need a buyer’s guide? If you sell a product or service, then it may. Here’s why:

Today’s consumers tend to be savvier than buyers of the past. The comfort of having digital tools at their fingertips gives them a sense of empowerment as they enthusiastically pore over reviews, research product features and capabilities, and compare competitive products, pricing and added value. In short, buyers want to be sure they know exactly what they’re buying and how their purchase will fulfill their needs.

As a seller of products or services, you can support customer efforts by offering a buyer’s guide that provides information to help them before and after their purchase.

What is a buyer’s guide?

A buyer’s guide is a resource that helps potential and established customers understand, evaluate and/or get the most from your product or service. Its content may be shared electronically via your website, social media or email, or in a printed form you can either mail to or distribute at point of sale to consumers who have purchased or shown an interest in a particular product or service.

A buyer’s guide may include elements such as these:

• Education about specific products or services and how they may fit the buyer’s needs
• Side-by-side comparisons of product/service options
• Product features, specifications and pricing
• FAQs
• Warranties and return policies
• Complementary products or bundles
• Post-purchase guidelines for usage, maintenance and upgrades
• Testimonials
• Company background and commitment to excellence

What are the benefits of a buyer's guide?

You might think of your buyer’s guide as an extension of your sales team. It helps inform potential and established customers about your products or services so they can make smart buying decisions, and it may help you earn their business. A buyer’s guide can also support customers after they’ve made their purchase, to keep the conversation — and the relationship — going. It can be a valuable tool for helping your company build customer loyalty over time.

Say your company sells workout equipment. You might produce a buyer’s guide called “The Right Equipment for Working Out at Home,” which describes each of your products, highlighting their features, specs and the results users can expect when they use them. If your buyer’s guide is digital, you can include videos of the equipment in use and testimonials from real users. You can compare equipment options, show how various pieces can be bundled, and share your warranty and return information. Once a customer has made a purchase, you can follow up with another buyer’s guide: “How to Make the Most of Your [Brand] Home Gym.” That content might include instructional videos, exercises and complementary products the customer can purchase to enhance or upgrade their experience.

How to write a buyer’s guide

By answering potential buyers’ questions about products or services before they even ask them, a buyer’s guide holds the power to project and instill confidence, elevate your company image and lay the groundwork for lasting, loyal relationships. The key is knowing what to include and how to appeal to your audience.

So where do you start?

Know your audience. Understanding the needs, preferences, demographics and buying behaviors of the people who will be using your buyer’s guide is vital to its effectiveness. If you’ve been paying attention to the reviews, questions and comments customers have been sharing, and doing some of your own market research, then you’re well on your way to anticipating what information will be most valuable to them. Knowing your audience can also help you determine how you’ll package and distribute your buyer’s guide: Should it be digital? print? both?

Identify the topic areas you will cover. Commonly, a buyer’s guide includes some of the elements listed above — product or service features, comparisons, warranties, FAQs, etc. — but also consider any unique aspects of your products or services, as well as the purpose of your guide, as you nail down the sections, details, videos, charts, etc. you want to share.

Organize content for clarity and scannability. Your audience is more likely to skim the content than to read every word, so make it easy for them to find and digest key information quickly. Headings, subheadings, sidebars, charts and other visual elements can help.

Be clear, concise and compelling. Yes, buyers want information, but if you don’t entertain them as you inform them, you could lose them. Put yourself in their shoes and make things interesting! Descriptions and explanations should reflect your company’s personality; product photography should be attractive and crisp; and graphic treatments should capture and hold your audience’s attention.

Position and promote. Now, make your content accessible to those who need it — at the appropriate time. Give it a spot on your website, perhaps linking it to a product photo or description. Offer a link in social media posts. Buy an online ad. Hand the guide to customers who visit your store. Mail or email it in a thank-you package after someone buys.

A buyer’s guide can be an effective tool for boosting sales and cementing relationships. Use yours to their fullest!
 

This article is for general information purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Any reliance on the information herein is solely and exclusively at your own risk and you are urged to do your own independent research. To the extent information herein references an outside resource or Internet site, Dollar Bank is not responsible for information, products or services obtained from outside sources and Dollar Bank will not be liable for any damages that may result from your access to outside resources. As always, please consult your own counsel, accountant, or other advisor regarding your specific situation.