If AI Controlled Buying Decisions

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I asked ChatGPT to make a buying decision for me based on 3 competing vendors. The output? "I don't have real-time data or specific details about the latest developments in the field, so I can't provide the most up-to-date information on these specific solutions. However, I can offer some general advice on how to make your decision."

The list of recommended considerations was:

1. Evaluate Your Specific Needs
2. Performance and Integration
3. UI/Ease of Use
4. Product Capabilities
5. Company Reputation
6. Scalability/Future Needs
7. Costs
8. Trial Period

It's easy to see that even a non-human understands that buying choices are based on preferences. I'll say it again: buying choices are based on preferences.

In marketing, we must understand and accept this truth. Let's dive into this truth more in-depth:

We're Not Robots or Machines

By nature, people don't all have the same wants or needs. In our fundamental state, we do, but as things get more "complicated" per se, our wants/needs become more specific. As an example, generally, every person would agree that "Companies need to purchase and use cybersecurity software to prevent and detect incidents." But how companies arrive at a buying decision to satisfy that general need is going to be based on the added layer of emotions and experiences.

If Everyone "Likes" You, Then No One "Really Likes" You

If you appeal to everyone, then you're not being specific enough about providing value. At some point, another company is going to come along and be very specific about what they offer and who they offer it to, and they're going to beat you at your own game. It's better to have fewer customers who really like you than to have tons of customers who just "like" you because eventually, they'll leave when they find a company/product that they feel gets their needs at the core. For example, flip phones still exist (who remembers hitting "5" three times to get the letter "L"?). They satisfy the same basic needs as a smartphone - make phone calls and send text messages. So what's the reason for choosing a smartphone instead of a flip phone? Basic needs are the same, but user preferences (hear: wants and needs) are nuanced.

What Marketers Can Do to Make Decisions with Buyer Preferences in Mind

Think of 3 brands/companies you like that all operate in the same industry. Do you use their products/services for different things even though they're competitors? This is what we have to dig into to truly understand what sets our business apart from the rest.

Recognize that customers chose your company for specific reasons based on their preferences, not necessarily because they believed in the marketing jargon that all your competitors publish, too. When you notice a theme continuing to arise in those preferences, that's your gold mine. So do more of that.

In your marketing material, talk about your company in the way your customers talk about you, not the way the industry talks about you. Those are two separate things. One is based on specific preferences, and the other is based on what appeals to everyone.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the weekly "Meditative Marketing" newsletter. If you did, taking .02 of a second to hit that subscribe button translates into endless seconds of me knowing this content is useful for you, allowing me to narrow in on what content to publish next for you. Until next time!