The next process a buyer may go through is “buyer resolution process”. This involves a process of buyer answering five purchasing questions. If all are answered in affirmative then consumer will most like make a purchase. The questions are: 1. Why should I buy (is there a need) 2. What should I buy (what product will meet need) 3. Where should I buy (what source provides product) 4. What is a fair price (is price of this product worth meeting need) 5. When should I buy (is meeting my need necessary at this point) This mental process is used more often when a customer is actively trying to fill a perceived need. The process is generally not an impulsive process. People who go through this process need to be convinced on each question, in affirmative. These are type of people that engage in comparison shopping and use consumer guides to make decisions.

If your ideal customer profile leads you to believe that your customer is not likely to be an impulse buyer then marketing with above process in mind is probably smart. You need to present your product or service in a manner that will help consumer answer above questions in affirmative, leading to them making a purchase. This is where your unique selling point becomes very important. The USP is used to answer consumer’s questions.

The final process is referred to as “needs-satisfaction” process. This process is engaged in when a person is making a purchase to satisfy a need in a complex selling situation. The consumer is looking for a consultive partnership with seller. This is process that many customers engage in which leads to repeat business. It satisfies all of there questions by having seller identify their needs and generating products or services that seem to be customized to identified need. Several points concerning this process:

1. The consumer is aware they have a need but may not be aware of what it is specifically so seller must conduct an assessment to help them better pinpoint their need. This process treats individual consumer as separate target market.

2. Questions and two-way communication are a priority in this marketing process. They are designed to help consumer pinpoint their need and then you can take them through resolution process based on your product or service.

3. This type of consumer process is facilitated if you attempt to advocate for and facilitate a long term relationship with customer. This is customer that needs to trust seller. They want to feel like they know seller and this leads to confidence and credibility on sellers part.

These three consumer decision making processes are not necessarily different approaches. The reality is they work in concert with one another dependent on what consumer presents to seller. You can think of them as a complex progression which is dependent on customer need, customer profile, and your unique selling point.

If you keep these processes in mind as you create your advertising and marketing plan. I believe you will see increased success and develop more repeat business.

Darrin F. Coe, MA is a mental health professional, weekly columnist, and author of ebook, “Micro Loans: Finance Your Dreams” available at http://dcoe1.tripod.com/microfinance you can contact him at coe@ris.net or at http://dcoe1.tripod.com

Fact: Publishing and promoting with free articles gives you one of most powerful opportunities available to tip buyer's credibility scale in your favor.

How can we prove this works? Quite easily actually. Take a break from reading this and go check out a newspaper or magazine for a minute.

Which do you trust more, ads or articles? Most people will choose articles hands down. Why? Because articles don't try to "sell" you anything. Instead, they hand out useful information for educational or other practical purposes.

Most of us grew up in a culture which says we can believe and "trust" what appears in standard "news" or "information" format. In other words, if it appears in print, then we can believe and trust author.

So go ahead! Use this lifetime of conditioning to your advantage in selling your products and services!

Very few things will create an atmosphere of trust and confidence in people as reading one of your articles on a subject that greatly interests them. It shows you know your business. It also demonstrates you will do more than just try to sell them something.

Publishing articles literally lets you fly under their advertising "radar defenses."

So remember these points when deciding whether or not to use articles to promote your business:

1. Few things create as much trust and confidence in minds of potential customers as reading an article you wrote on a subject which specifically and intensely interests them.

2. Articles establish credibility quickly because, right or wrong, we've all been trained to trust "news."

3. An article, or series of articles, will differentiate you from competition, who bombard people with nothing but sales messages.

4. Providing content-rich, non-sales-oriented articles will also help build and solidify your relationship with existing customers so they give you repeat business.

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Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and co- author of an amazing new ebook, "Turn Words Into Traffic," that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate link! Click Here ==> http://the-easy-way.com/traffic.html