Consumer behaviour is changing.
People make decisions differently.
They have more options, more brands, more time to think on their hands when there is NO scarcity so…
…how do you know, as a brand or marketing manager, what drives the consumer behaviour of your customer?
Here’s a list of 20 questions to explore in order to identify the consumer behavior type of your audience. We talk about questions that help you uncover motivations, habits, emotional triggers, and decision-making patterns.
#1. TIME – How much time does our customer spend researching before purchasing?
- Longer time => complex/rational buying behavior => Which means you should focus on addressing the long-term benefits & transformation that the product/service brings to their lives.
- Minimal time => Usual/impulse buying => Which means you should focus on leveraging the specific context/timing in which your customer might need your product/service.
#2. RISK – Is your product a high-risk or low-risk decision for them?
- High-risk => focus on explaining the gains and the ROI.
- Low-risk => focus on why it is important to get your particular product and not others.
#3. INVESTMENT – How involved are they in this purchase from a financial angle?
- High investment => Focus on status/prestige gained.
- Low investment => Focus on the utilities of your products or efficiency.
#4. REVIEWS – Do your customers compare features or reviews before buying?
- Yes => Signals an informed behavior => Focus on detailing the features of your products and their outcome
- No => Make them visualize the transformation your product/ service will bring.
#5. FREQUENCY – Is this a product they buy regularly or occasionally?
- Regularly => Estimate the lifespan of your product/service and plan your follow-up campaigns accordingly, especially your email marketing Campaigns.
- Occasionally => Identify all the potential situations that trigger your customer to buy your product and leverage them within your marketing strategy.
#6. LOYALTY – How often do repeat purchases occur?
- Frequent => Brand loyalty. Reward your loyal customers and transform them into brand ambassadors.
- Rare => Explore with different varieties of your product with your non-engaged customers, some might not find their match yet. Engage them in a survey to learn more about their needs.
#7. TRIGGERS – What usually triggers their need for this product/service?
- Practical need => Communicate what problem your product/service solves.
- Emotional trigger => Communicate the change your product/service brings to their lives.
#8. UTILITY – Is your product/service solving a problem or fulfilling a desire?
- Solving a problem => Present the perspective of a problem-free life.
- Fulfilling a desire => Present the indulgence effects of your product/service.
#9. INFLUENCE – Does your customer make the decision on their own, or consults with others before making the purchase?
- On their own => focus on how this decision helps them,
- Social influence => Create a map of the potential stakeholders that might influence their decision and consider them within your marketing strategy.
#10. MOOD – What emotional state are they in when they purchase?
- Stressed => Identify the stress factors and how your product reduces them.
- Calm/ neutral => Focus on the changes they unlock with the purchase to elicit excitement.
#11. DISCOVERY – Where do they go to learn more about this product?
- Search engines & reviews => Focus on your SEO Strategy
- Social media or influencers => Focus on your Social Media Strategy
#12. TOUCHPOINTS – How many touchpoints do they go through before buying?
- Multiple touchpoints => Map the consumer journey to identify which touchpoints have the biggest impact on the decision-making and double down on them.
- Few touchpoints => Map your current touchpoints and brainstorm to discover new potential funnels you might have missed.
#13. PRICING – Are they highly sensitive to price changes?
- Yes = Focus on Discounts Strategy & Flash Sales Opportunities
- No = Focus on market positioning and product differentiation
#14. EXPLORATION – Are they loyal to a few brands or do they explore new ones?
- Loyal Type => Focus on band legacy
- Exploratory Type => Focus on Product Categories/ Collections & Variety
#15. COMPETITION – What would make them switch to a competitor?
- Price => Hold onto your Pricing Strategy/ Create Community Rewards Systems
- Innovation or value => Focus on innovating and Trendsetting
- Emotional disconnect => Focus on building a community Lifestyle around the brand
#16. STORE – Do they prefer shopping online/ via mobile apps or in-store?
- Online/mobile => Focus on easing the user’s digital experience as much as possible.
- In-store => Focus on creating an immersive purchasing experience
#17. SPONTANEITY – Are their purchases planned or spontaneous?
- Planned => Identify the life moments that lead to the purchasing moment
- Spontaneous => Identify the impulses that trigger the purchasing moment
#18. CULTURE – Are there cultural values that shape their preferences?
- Yes => Explore the cultural insights to understand what they value and why.
- No => Focus on the brand’s market positioning on a global scale.
#19. HEALTH IMPACT – How much does their decision influence their health or wellness?
- Highly => Focus on the health outcomes and transformation expected after the purchasing decision.
- Low => Focus on convenience, indulgence, or utility depending on the product category.
#20. FAMILY INFLUENCE – Does their decision impact their family, kids, or partner?
- Yes => Indicates collective decision-making. Focus on safety, ease-of-use, multi-user benefits, or family-oriented messaging.
- No => Focus on self-expression, independence, and personal transformation.
BONUS POINT: #21. SEASON – Is their decision related to a certain season?
- Yes => Adjust your marketing timeline strategy accordingly.
- No => Ask yourself a second question: Is their decision related to a certain part of the day? (Morning – Noon – Evening – Night) Adjust your communication strategy accordingly.
Understanding consumer behavior is no longer a guessing game, it’s a strategic necessity. In a world where buyers are more informed, more distracted, and have more choices than ever, brands must go beyond demographics and tap into the real drivers behind decisions: emotions, habits, values, timing, identity, and relationships.
When you understand how people buy, you don’t just sell, you become part of their lives.
