Why do people buy?  Does it come down to price and features, or are our purchasing habits driven by deeper needs? To better understand consumers, and how to successfully influence their purchasings, I’ve invited Kathy Risch to join me on our podcast. Kathy is the Senior Vice President, Shopper Insights & Thought Leadership at Acosta, where they provide sales, marketing, and commercial solutions to help lift businesses to success. We begin by examining the similarities and differences between purchasing physical things versus buying intangible ideas. Kathy explains that while data is black and white, people are not. Purchasing habits are based on emotions and needs; therefore, selling a product is easier when you speak to the problems that the product solves for the buyer. Selling ideas can take many forms; speaking on stage, running webinars for hundreds, or working one-on-one. Regardless of medium, Kathy says, you must always set the tone, remaining clear, organized, and straightforward when sharing your insights and ideas. In addition, you need to provide value in exchange for a client's time, delivering fresh and interesting solutions with actionable steps. If you are struggling to connect your ideas to your audience, this episode will provide valuable tips to help you get buy-in and make the sale. Three Key Takeaways: You need to connect your product's brand and vision with the emotional needs of the buyer Always be willing to explore new modalities, even if it goes outside your comfort zone. You need to meet your audience where they already get their information. Fresh insights tend to rise above the noise – always provide interesting and actionable discoveries, to show your value right away.