What if the most valuable insight you had for your next marketing campaign or launch… is from the people who didn’t buy?
This week I was working with a Strategy Roadmap client, mapping out a product launch. That’s when I asked if there was any feedback from past stockists who hadn’t re-ordered, which sparked a bigger conversation about the power of asking.
Understanding why someone doesn’t buy your product or service is a powerful insight that can shape everything from your product and offer design to sales copy.
Without asking for feedback, you’re always operating on assumptions. And yes, sometimes you will guess correctly.
But if you feel like you’re working hard, running in circles and never getting where you want to go… The missing link might be feedback.
I get that asking why someone didn’t buy from you feels scary and vulnerable, especially when your business and work feels close to your heart. My sweet client admitted that they’ve avoided it for that exact reason!
But what if not purchasing isn't a judgement about you or your business? What if that person is just navigating their own priorities?
At the end of my spring sales campaign, I sent out a feedback email asking folks why they didn’t move forward with a Strategy Roadmap.
I assumed the answer was going to be pricing.
Between the economy, the state of small business and the general 2025 vibes, I assumed that of course people are tightening their budgets.
And yes, I heard that from a few people. But the top reason why people didn’t buy? They were already committed to another provider or program.
Wait, what!?
Imagine if I hadn’t asked… I might have lowered my prices, introduced a cheaper offer, maybe even launched a Substack.
Now I know that it’s not about price, I can make informed decisions about how and where to tweak my strategy: diversifying how I'm getting in front of new audiences and continuing to nurture that "not right now" segment who may well become customers in the future.
Here’s something to try…
Where can you start building in feedback loops?
If you really want to dig in, market research and voice-of-customer interviews are incredibly helpful. But so are:
- Quick surveys at the end of a launch
- Feedback forms in your off-boarding process
- A simple email asking “What held you back?”
📑 Here’s the email template that I used for my post-launch survey. Swipe it, personalize it, add it to your campaign flow and see what you discover.
Sometimes it’s just enough to lead to your next big insight.
Go slow and stay steady,
Amanda Laird
Founder & Principal Strategist, Slow & Steady Studio