You’re at your favorite restaurant and you’re starving. On the menu, there are a bunch of things that look delicious. It’s so hard to decide. Now the waiter’s asking what you want… too much pressure!
This is what your ideal customers feel like when they’re deciding between your product and similar products from other companies. They’re starving – they really want this product that will benefit them in some way. They’re on the verge of buying. But they may not buy from you.
To boost your sales, you have to think of ways to make that decision easier. People have to see that your brand is different and not worth not missing out on.
Foods on a restaurant menu can’t do anything to influence you to pick them. But luckily, you can do this with your own products. The most effective way to influence consumer purchase decisions is by working with creators. Creators play an important role in the buyer’s journey.
How does the buyer’s journey affect consumer purchase decisions?
There are three main phases in the buyer’s journey:
Awareness: The consumer knows they have a problem but hasn’t figured out what they need in order to solve it.
Consideration: The consumer knows the kind of product/service that could solve their problem and is looking at different options.
Decision: The consumer has identified something that makes one option more appealing than the rest, so that’s what they want to buy.
Let’s consider that consideration phase some more. This is the phase in which brands need to show their potential customers why they should pick them over someone else.
This is also called the research phase because potential customers are looking at photos, videos, reviews, and websites to learn about different products that can help them – and they have their eyes peeled for anything that makes one brand stand out.
How long does the consideration phase last?
It’s different for different people. Some people love to impulse buy. Others need a few days or even weeks. But you can shorten this phase by giving your ideal customers an irresistible reason to buy from you ASAP. Whatever that reason is, creators can help you get the message across.
Why creators are critical to the research phase of the buyer journey
If you’re curious about how brands affect consumer purchase decisions, one big answer is the strategy of collabing with creators. There are many reasons creators are so effective at influencing consumer decisions…
Creators get people’s attention.
Your ideal customers are more likely to pay attention to creator content than to a traditional ad, because the creator content is something they actually want to see. Content creators know how to make fun and fascinating content that grabs people’s attention. It’s what they do!
Creators build trust.
What’s the best way to build trust with someone who has never heard of your brand? The #1 answer is the person’s friend recommending your product to them. But the next best thing is a recommendation by a creator that person follows online.
People are more likely to trust a person than a brand logo. When a brand brags about how wonderful its products are, it’s easy to tune out. But when a creator actually shows themselves using the product, it’s easier to trust that the product really is good quality. So if your brand is making creator content and another brand with a similar product is only using traditional ads, you have an advantage.
Creators get up close and personal.
Creator content helps people imagine themselves using a product because they can see how the product fits into someone’s life. They’re watching someone else – someone they like – use the product and explain why it’s a part of their routine or lifestyle. They can’t help but think “If that person likes it, I might like it too.”
Creators build interest for higher-priced products.
When someone’s comparing multiple products, they’re going to choose the lowest-priced one unless there’s a reason not to. This means if your product is priced higher than other similar products, people won’t buy it unless you give them a reason they’ll care about. Creator content can show potential customers what makes your products special, helping you sell at premium prices.
Creators express your brand values.
People buy for emotional reasons more than logical ones, and that’s why brand values are important. What values does your brand take to heart? Your ideal customer will feel more motivated to buy your products if they relate to your brand values. And they’re probably following creators who share those values. If those creators make content about your products, that content will hit on a deeper level. Potential customers will feel a sense of connection and think “This product is for people like me.”
10 ways to drive consumer purchase decisions with creators
If you’re stuck trying to think of ways to get your ideal customers to choose you, ask yourself, how does advertising affect your buying decisions? Think about ads you’ve seen that moved you to try a certain product. You trusted and chose that brand for a reason.
Brands are always trying to think of reasons consumers would want to choose them, and that’s what these brands below had in mind as they collabed on creator content. Let’s look at some examples.
Brands are always trying to think of reasons consumers would want to choose them, and that’s what these brands below had in mind as they collabed on creator content. Let’s look at some examples.
1. Recipe tutorial
There are plenty of creators giving healthy eating tips, and one of these creators is Arash Hashemi, who lost over 100 pounds and likes creating low-carb recipes. In his collab with Chosen Foods, he made a recipe video for low-carb Mediterranean biscuits.
Arash used Chosen Foods’ avocado oil shortening as a healthier alternative to butter or traditional shortening. So the next time people who saw this video are shopping for baking ingredients and they need to decide on shortening, they have a reason to buy Chosen Foods’ avocado oil shortening instead of something else.
2. Detailed product review and demonstration
Product review videos are a very effective way of influencing consumer purchase decisions, especially when they’re detailed and thorough. Take a look at the above review video of the Insta360 X4 camera. Mrwhosetheboss demonstrates the features of this 360-degree camera and shows viewers why phone cameras and other cameras just don’t cut it.
Another thing that makes this video so effective is that Mrwhosetheboss mentions specific situations in which the camera can be used, which gets viewers to imagine using it in their own lives. This makes the buying decision much easier.
3. Expressing brand values
Brand values can bring brands and consumers together. Terra is a brand that values the environment, and Hanna King collabed with Terra to promote the brand’s plant-based diapers and baby wipes. Anyone who’s already interested in eco-friendly products and who needs baby products will want to learn more about this brand if they’ve never heard of it.
This collab content is great for multiple reasons: Hanna mentions she’s restocking the products, meaning she’s bought them before and is happy to buy more. She points out that the products are gentle on her daughters’ sensitive skin, and the diapers have a wetness indicator. And of course, the eco-friendly aspect is also important. Many people want to help the environment but aren’t sure how. Seeing a video from a creator recommending this eco-friendly brand makes buying these products an easy decision.
4. Comparing two products from the same brand
@lydiafowlermakeup Relief sun VS the NEW Aqua fresh relief sun @Beauty of Joseon ♬ original sound – lydiafowlermakeup
5. Informative/educational video
Doctor Mike’s YouTube channel is a mix of informative videos, funny videos, and videos that are a blend of both. This is a valuable informative video in which Doctor Mike debunks health myths from TikTok. The video covers several topics, including oral health, and that’s where the Laifen Wave electric toothbrush comes in. Doctor Mike explains why the oscillation angle of this toothbrush helps it clean more effectively than others, making it more likely that viewers will decide that this toothbrush is the best choice.
6. Multiple pieces of creator content
Who says a creator collab can only be one piece of content? If you have the budget, consider creating at least two pieces of content in the same campaign with a creator. When you’re trying to influence consumer purchase decisions, making more than one piece of content helps you highlight more than one aspect of what makes your product special.
The Aria is a unique music-themed hotel in Budapest, and the hotel decided to collab with travel creator FlaviaLatina twice. The above video shows a stunning view of St. Stephen’s Basilica from the rooftop bar. This video also has amazing aerial shots and mentions the musical theme of the hotel. If Budapest wasn’t already on your travel wish list, it is now… and now you know where to stay.
7. Get ready with me
@oyin_kaz Join me as I refresh and style my 4C hair before a long night shift 🌙 Don't forget to pamper your hair too with goodies from Sephora's Summer Deal Week! From July 4th-10th, save 25% on shampoos and conditioners. Perfect time to stock up on your hair essentials! 💁♀️ Hurry! (Exclusions and terms apply) #HairCare #SephoraSquad #ad @sephora @olaplex ♬ original sound – OyinKaz
People watch “get ready with me” videos to peek into the lives of people with all kinds of lifestyles, including this GRWM video of a hardworking nurse. As Oyin Kaz gets ready for a 12-hour night shift, she makes sure to practice self-care so she can prepare to take care of others. She collabed with Sephora to show how she washes and conditions her hair with Olaplex products. And the temporary discount creates urgency, getting viewers to make the decision to stock up on hair care right away.
8. Local pop-up event
@kristenschick the cutest free merch 🤍 if you’re going to the Head of the Charles this weekend make sure to stop by @Barebells USA #barebellspartner #bostonheadofthecharles ♬ Come Inside Of My Heart – IV Of Spades
Here’s a strategy to try if you need to attract people in-person. Barebells collabed with Boston-based creator Kristen Schick to advertise protein bars. The company traveled around the US with mini pop-up events, and Kristen made a video of herself stopping by the one in Boston.
Viewers were taken into the bright-colored Barebells bus and shown how they can win free merch, take fun selfies, and taste free samples. Having mini events and working with creators to help get the word out is a great way to introduce people to your brand so it will stick in their minds later.
9. Clever creator choice
Balsam Hill worked with a creator to promote artificial Christmas trees. But this choice of creator may not be what you’d expect. This video was made by Reena Zaveri, a creator who’s obsessed with plants! Her content is all about growing and taking care of different kinds of plants, and artificial plants are not her thing – except this one. Reena gives specific reasons why she prefers a Balsam Hill artificial tree to a real tree, and that may convince viewers to choose a Balsam Hill tree too.
10. Inspirational video
To get people to choose you instead of another brand, you have to do something to stand out… and there’s no question you’ll stand out if your products are featured in an emotion-grabbing video. Michelle Khare describes herself as “YouTube’s daredevil” because of the extreme challenges she tries, and the above video is no exception. Here, she runs a marathon in a brutally hot location, and this video is a story about not giving up when things are hard.
Throughout the video, Michelle wears running shoes and other apparel from Brooks, and she mentions specific reasons she likes the shoes. Every runner knows how important it is to have quality shoes. If these Brooks shoes can pass such a difficult test, you can bet they’re an excellent choice for runners.
Key takeaway: Consumer purchase decisions can be influenced by creators – if you’re smart and strategic about it.
When it comes to how brands affect consumer purchase decisions, creator influence is on the rise. Trying to influence consumer purchase decisions with just traditional advertising misses the personal touch that creators give. Working with creators can get the message across to your ideal customers that your brand is trustworthy and different from the rest. That’s why the decision to work with creators is the easiest decision to make!
