That's how buyers, in general, make and influence buying decisions. However, you're not just working with buyers; you're also helping individuals — unique people with distinctive needs and abilities. How can you best help them?

Again, the most productive method is to ask. “What information do you need to make an informed decision?” Depending on what you are selling, the individual answers may be different. However, they will have commonality. Most people, in making choices, follow a common path: gather data, add information, develop knowledge, and make the decision. By understanding how your individual buyers and influencers follow that path, you can better help them toward a successful decision.

Data means factual information. The widget 295 weights six pounds and uses 1,700 watts of power. That's data. Whatever you are selling, the products and even services will have data. To help individual buyers make decisions, be sure that you have whatever data they require.

You do this by first asking them. “What data do you need about the widget 295?” One buyer may focus on the mechanical data while another needs the electrical or other data. You don't have to give them everything available, just everything they need.

In the example of the hamburger eater, she doesn't need to know the type of beef used or where the tomatoes were grown. The data she needs includes the size, the price, and what condiments are available. The menu will tell her most of that. The car buyers, however, will want to know the size of the engine, number of transmission gears, and other relevant data. Give them the data that they need by first asking, then providing.

Data won't always answer questions sufficiently. Buyers need to know the relevance of data, in other words, information, the application of data. For example, a 200-hoursepower engine (data) is relevant because it is more powerful (information) than a 150-hp engine. Data must be analyzed and compared to be informative.

Some buyers don't care about data or even much information. However, most do — especially as the price tag increases.

Data must be relevant to the buying decision. Help your buyers understand the relevance of product data and you will be helping them make better choices.

Higher on the decision tree is knowledge. Knowledge is the integration of information and experience. It's more than just relevant facts. It's the application of appropriate information to real-life situations. It's remembering that the lower horsepower of your last car almost got you into an accident when trying to pass a slow-moving truck.

Knowledge comes from experience, but it also comes from association. That is, you don't have to actually get into a dangerous passing situation to know that, without adequate horsepower, you could. An association is a mental connection between facts and memories or ideas. Association keeps people from bungee jumping, even though they've never been in a similar situation.

What does all this have to do with selling? Buyers need knowledge — information combined with experience or association — to make better decisions. You can help your buyers develop needed knowledge. You can help them remember experiences and suggest associations that can be applied to their needs.