Understanding your customers begins by identifying their basic buying motives. While services and products are con-stantly changing, basic buying motives change very slowly. Understanding your customers also means gaining an insight into their buying role. The buyer/user decides what is needed, what will be bought and where it will be purchased. In other situations these roles may be played by different individuals. It helps to anticipate who has the need, who influences the pur-chase decision, and who actually decides what and where to buy. A business strategy that is squarely aimed at satisfying your customers’ basic buying motives will pay off in (more…)