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Five No-Brainers that Put Customers in a Buying Mood
I've started and run all kinds of businesses--high-tech, biotech, consumer products, import-export, online publishing and social networking. Along the way, it's become clear how to convert wishy-washy customers into passionate purchasers. To get your customers in a buying mood, here are five tried-and-true tactics for you to try:

1. Make it mean something.
One way to change the ground rules of a purchasing decision is to change the customer's mindset altogether. Move them from the typical thought process of "do I need this," to a feel-good experience. For example, you can add extra impetus by providing a share of proceeds to a local children's group or to an environmental cause. People want to be gratified, and the added meaning will help push them over the edge to make a purchase.

2. Show your love.
Remember the last time you did something special that makes someone's day? Take that same concept and channel it into how you take care of your customers. Experiment on a handful of loyal customers to see what gets the best reactions/results. Then make that gesture a regular part of how you operate. Sure--this might sound expensive, but by doing something memorable, you'll stay on their mind, in their conversations, and will be much more likely to close sales with them in the future because of how you stand out.

3. Tease them (but with permission).
Like the old adage says, out of sight, out of mind. The pace of life today and the constant advertising "noise" makes it difficult to focus. That means you need to identify effective ways to get your customers' attention. One of the most economical is "permission-based marketing," a term coined by best-selling author and friend, Seth Godin. Two perfect examples of this form of marketing are e-newsletters and text-messaging services that you allow people to sign up for at your site. The moment they give you permission is very powerful indeed. Your customers are essentially authorizing you to check back with them, and you can turn this into more closed sales in the future.

4. Just say no.
Customers make bad purchasing decisions all the time. You can't expect them to be as informed as you are. This means an opportunity for you to advise them and cultivate trust. If you want long-term customers who come back again and again, be willing to advise against a purchase that may not be smart. Redirect them to an alternative you offer or even to hold off. What you'll find is that over the course of time, you'll turn what would have been unhappy one-time customers into very profitable repeat purchasers for the long run.

5. Share fellow feedback.
People have learned the value in using feedback from their peers as a compass for smart purchasing decisions. Just imagine happening upon a no-name website offering those seaglass coasters you've been looking for for months. Would you feel some reluctance making the purchase because you've never heard of the site? Now, take that same site but add feedback in the form of testimonials and product ratings and reviews. Chances are, your confidence would rise and your likelihood to purchase from the no-name business would increase significantly. And that's called being in the buying mood.
~ Rich Sloan, StartupNation- http://www.startupnation.com/

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