El Journey de Compra del Cliente B2C

Trust is the fundamental pillar in any sales process. If your prospect has not yet made the decision to buy your product or service, it is probably because you have not been able to establish the necessary bond of trust or you have not correctly identified their buying motivations. Understanding the customer journey and their true motivations can radically transform your business results, regardless of whether you sell physical products, consulting services or digital solutions.

How do you understand your customers' true buying motivations?

The traditional approach to the customer journey has taught us that all buyers follow a linear path: awareness, consideration, purchase and recommendation. While these steps exist, the reality is much more complex. Each customer has their own unique journey, with different motivations and concerns that influence their final decision.

Thinking that all your customers buy the same way is a common mistake that may be holding back your business growth. It doesn't matter if you sell clothing online or a pet dating app, each prospect has their own "recipe" for making buying decisions.

Hankins' Hexagon: A Revolutionary Methodology

A powerful tool for understanding these motivations is Hankins' hexagon, which allows us to identify six key factors that influence the buying decision:

1. Risk: When the customer fears making a mistake or being cheated.
2. Statism: When the customer is resistant to change in his methods.
3. Ethics: When the customer values social and environmental responsibility.
4. Hedonism: When the customer seeks exclusivity and premium experiences
5. Obedience: When the customer relies on authorities and experts
6. Innovation: When the customer wants to be on the cutting edge.

The interesting thing about this approach is that each point is interconnected with the others, creating a complete map of customer motivations.

How to apply Hankins' hexagon in your business strategy?

To illustrate how this methodology works in practice, let's look at a concrete example applied to marketing and sales consulting services:

Addressing risk

When a client expresses concern by saying, "I don't want to make a mistake, we already hired others and they ripped us off," you can respond by showing:

• Documented success stories
• Testimonials from satisfied customers
• Certifications and professional credentials

The objective is to generate trust by demonstrating that you will not only provide the service, but that you will do it correctly.

Overcoming Statism

Many clients cling to their traditional methods with phrases like, "We've always done it this way and it works for us." In these cases, it is effective:

• Explain that your service will not change their DNA or purpose.
• Show how you will optimize existing processes
• Offer concrete data to support the benefits of change.

The key is to present your proposal as an evolution, not a revolution.

Highlighting ethics

With the growing importance of social responsibility, many customers are looking to do business with companies that share their values. You can:

• Show how your service helps highlight the company's values.
• Explain the positive social or environmental impact of your proposal.
• Align your communication with the client's purpose and values.

It is essential to be honest and not create false expectations about the ethical impact of your product or service.

Satisfying hedonism

For customers seeking exclusivity with comments such as: "I want a premium experience", it is effective:

• Position your service as exclusive or VIP.
• Take care of every detail in communication and service protocols.
• Demonstrate organization and professionalism in every interaction.

The objective is to make the customer feel that he/she is special and receives a differentiated treatment.

Responding to obedience

Some customers are simply looking to follow recommendations from recognized experts:

• Show your credentials and professional recognition.
• Share publications, talks or participation in relevant events.
• Align your recommendations with trends set by thought leaders.

Even if you're just starting out, you can show how your approach aligns with industry best practices.

Leveraging innovation

For clients who want to stay ahead of the curve:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the latest technologies and trends.
• Explain how you implement modern solutions
• Present cases where innovation has generated tangible results.

It is important to make sure that these innovative solutions are really suitable for the client's specific needs.

How to create your own hexagon of motivations?

To implement this methodology in your business:

1. Identify the main motivations of your specific customers.
2. Analyze how each motivation connects to the others.
3. Develop concrete strategies to address each point
4. Share this analysis with your team
5. Be completely honest in your assessment

The key to obtaining this information is simple but powerful: actively listen to your customers. There is no substitute for directly understanding their needs, concerns and desires.

Remember that the Hankins hexagon is a tool for you and your team, not a sales script to mislead customers. Honesty is key: if a customer values social responsibility and your product doesn't have a strong ethical component, don't invent one. Instead, focus on the motivations where you can really add value.

Have you already identified your customers' main motivations? I invite you to create your own hexagon and share your findings. Understanding your customers deeply is the first step to transform prospects into satisfied, repeat buyers.