The purchasing behaviour of human beings is fairly predictable. If they purchase an item from a source and it proves acceptable to them and doesn't let them down in any way, they'll probably return to the same source for their next purchase of one of these items.

This is good news for you when you think about the customers you already have. But if you expect to take business away from your competitors it means you have to give prospects a really good reason to change.

And one good way of doing that is to prove you are different/better with some statistics or actual numbers.
 

Use statistics in testimonials

One of the best ways to attract the attention of prospects is to leverage your existing customers and their satisfaction with your business.

You can impress your prospects by compiling a case study of the success your customers have enjoyed and use the information as a testimonial to your products or services. ABC Company's sales rose 18% after they switched their advertising to Sportsmans World is an impressive indication of the effectiveness of advertising in Sportsmans World.

For retailers the testimonial with statistics works best through highlighting cost savings to be made by customers I save $28 on my weekly grocery bills at Buy-Rite, and Since I started using reloaded cartridges my photocopying costs have dropped by $54 a month are examples of how your existing customers can be the basis of an attractive proposition to lure new customers.

The important thing here is that its not you doing the promoting its one of your customers providing objective information and actual proof of the benefits of dealing with your company.
 

Make an offer too good to refuse

If you're confident that you can outperform the competition and want to switch one of their customers over to your business offer the prospect a direct comparison deal.

Agree to supply your prospect on the same basis that your competitor does - the same quantities and the same prices - for an agreed period of time on the understanding that if you prove that you can give them a better deal than the competition, then they'll give you a testimonial you can use in your promotions.

This gives your prospect the opportunity to see the differences between you and your competitor and gets the argument away from price comparisons.  If you keep up your end of the bargain you're likely to gain both a testimonial for your company and a new customer.

Gather your own statistics

Statistics are impressive, whether its dollars saved, less time expended, additional kilometres travelled or any other figure that can be quickly understood by prospects. Notice also that statistics are hardly ever even numbers. If they're genuine they'll probably be more like $29.90 than $30. Rounding-off only makes it look like its made up for the advertisement.

Statistics can be obtained in any number of ways. Talk to your customers or appoint a market research firm to conduct a customer survey; having a third party as the source of statistics will add credibility.

Customer surveys can give you an excellent source of meaningful statistics that can be used to promote your business 98% of our customers tell us they'd never go anywhere else for their furniture and Seven out of ten Masons customers have told their friends about us show how to use this kind of information.

Its also possible to create a strong proposition by using industry statistics that can be obtained from the Internet, from industry associations or trade publications Our products perform 26% higher than industry averages! is a strong recommendation.