What Can You Do in Five Clicks or Taps?

At the heart of any commercial transaction is the moment when the seller understands what the buyer wants and when they want it. If any of the variables in this equation are not in sync, the seller has some work to do. 

I once met a grizzled old car salesman named Socrates. He shared with me that he could accurately predict what type of car, color, size, and class, i.e., family, luxury, or utility a prospect would buy within five minutes of them entering his showroom.

Socrates had been selling cars for over 60 years and brought a wealth of observational experience to his craft. He quickly understood the behaviors of customers and applied his learnings to the sales process. He was right 90+% of the time. His intelligence was not artificial. It was based on reality.

In the digital world, we don’t have 60 years to accurately predict what a customer wants and make them a relevant offer based on their likes and dislikes. We have five clicks of a keyboard or five taps of a screen once they engage with a site or app to predict what will trigger a sale else the opportunity may be lost for good.

We call this process predictive engagement. It moves past AI-based personalization to meet the demands of today’s digital commerce and the ever-changing consumer. And like Socrates, we observe, accurately predict and make an appealing offer that meets the customer’s requirements to enable a successful commercial transaction. 

And, not every offer should be the same. Socrates knew this. His real success was based on making an offer that was tailored to each specific customer. Once he understood their behavior and likes, he had a rich canvas from which he worked. For example, if he learned they liked the sunshine and fresh air of summer, he would offer a convertible, or if the cold bothered them, he would offer a hard-top with a moonroof. 

Subtle differences, but very powerful when it came to making a sale. He knew it was one thing to be swift in the assessment and another to give them what they really wanted. It made the customer feel unique and understood, which meant they would return and refer other customers to his dealership.

Socrates wisely combined a quick assessment of each prospect with a uniquely tailored offer relevant to that customer based on his observation within five minutes. Today, we do it in five clicks or taps, with the same accuracy, as often five minutes is five minutes too late.