Understanding Your Customers' "Why"

When a new home buyer enters your sales center, the typical sales pitch usually ignores the psychology of the decision-making process, focusing solely on the buyer’s wants and needs. Understanding their needs is important, but understanding the “why” behind those needs is far more critical. And that is where buying psychology becomes a powerful tool in earning buyers’ trust.

Why vs. what

Salespeople tend to be all about the “what,” meaning details like square footage, bedroom count, special features, price, etc. Salespeople should shift their focus to the “why” to understand buyers’ motivations. That isn’t to say the details don’t matter ⁠— they do ⁠— but they don’t go deep enough to discover what is actually important in the home buyer’s life.

According to Zillow Group New Construction Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018, 71% of new construction buyers consider a spare or guest bedroom very or extremely important, but how a buyer plans to use that bedroom can tell you a lot about what they value. Examining the reason behind the details can lead to a better relationship with your home shoppers.

The importance of “why”

Here’s an example from personal experience. I purchased a home a few years ago, and among the requests I made to my agent during the search was that the primary bedroom be on the main floor. The reason is that my wife and I are the owners of a 16-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Macey who has difficulty getting around. She prefers sleeping in our bedroom, so we needed it to be on the main floor.

You might be thinking, “Wait, you made the requirements of a significant purchase decision based on an old dog?” Yep, and we wouldn’t have it any other way ⁠— Macey is our family. Now, here is the importance of focusing on the “why.” During the tour, our agent said, “Let’s go check out Macey’s room,” referring to the primary bedroom. He named it after our dog!

This was a brilliant move by our agent because from that point forward, we could better imagine living in that home and the memories to come. You won’t get that kind of result with questions about bedroom count.

Because our agent knew our “why,” he was much more than just our agent ⁠— he was our trusted partner in the home-buying process.

Zillow Group research has shown that new construction home shoppers are looking for a trusted guide. Home shopping can be exciting but also overwhelming, so by considering your customers’ motivations and being responsive to their concerns, you can improve their experience and gain their trust.

The one question you must ask

There’s one question that will make a big difference in understanding your clients: “What is one thing you would bring from your current home and one thing you’ll be happy to leave behind?”

This is the starting point to truly understanding the emotional perspective of your client. Even better, it will show your client that you care about them. But it’s unlikely that you’ll discover their “why” from just one question. Follow up with questions like:

• “Why is that important to you?”
• “You’ll be happy to leave the kitchen behind? Tell me why.”
• “What is it about the backyard that’s important to you? Paint the picture for me.”

In short, be prepared to dig deep until you discover the emotional aspect of the question.

When to ask about the “what”

So what about the bedroom count, square footage, price and so on? All are important, but none are as important as the emotional aspects of the purchase decision. There are two strategy points to consider:

1. Go for the motivation first. The most important information you can ascertain is why the client is moving in the first place. It always starts with a motivation. What is happening in their home or in their world that necessitates a change?
2. Understand the “why” behind the “what.” If someone says they need four bedrooms, you should discover how your client will use each room. If a client tells you they want to move in the summer, you need to know if something is triggering that timing versus simply preference. If they say they want a large yard, determine how they will use it. In a pinch, you can rely on this catch-all phrase: “Tell me more about that.”

If you ask the right questions, act as a trusted adviser and know your client, you will change their world.

For more insights on the new construction buyer, download the Zillow Group New Construction Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018.

Jeff Shore is the founder and president of Shore Consulting, Inc., a company specializing in field-tested and proven psychology-based sales training programs. Jeff is a top-selling author, an award-winning keynote speaker and the host of the popular sales podcast, “The Buyer’s Mind.” Follow Jeff on Twitter.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.