Why SAP Customers Need Expert Help with Stories

It feels like we spend our days buried in spreadsheets and reports. We look at numbers, forecasts, and bottom lines. But have you ever stopped to ask the most important question of all: why?

It is the one word that gets to the heart of every sale, every transaction, and every customer relationship you will ever have. Understanding the real answer to why someone chooses to buy is what separates businesses that just get by from those that dominate their market.

You might think you are selling financial software or consulting services. But what your customer is actually buying is something else entirely. It is a solution to a problem, a feeling of security, or a step up in their career. Figuring this out is everything.

Inbound Marketing Assessment Scorecard

This is part of a series blogs based on my book, "Know What You Sell", available on Amazon.  Ultimately, we developed the Free Inbound Marketing Assessment Scorecard to help you decide how to develop, position and successfully market your product or service.  It takes less than 2 minutes and you get a customized report based on your answers which you can use as roadmap through the ever changing world of marketing and sales. 

The Fundamental "Why": Understanding Need

At the most basic level, people and businesses buy things because they have a need. This is the starting point for all commerce. But that is where the similarities often end, and it is a critical distinction to grasp if you want your marketing and sales efforts to hit the mark.

A business usually sees spending as an investment. You put money into a new system, like SAP, because you expect to get more money back. The goal is efficiency gains, cost reductions, or new revenue streams, all supported by a detailed ROI calculation.

This B2B sales cycle is often long and involves many decision-makers. The value proposition must be crystal clear to justify the expense. A company invests capital with the expectation that it will generate a greater return over time.

Most consumers, on the other hand, spend money to solve a problem right now. They buy groceries because they are hungry. They buy a coat because they are cold. There is generally no expectation of a direct financial return on that purchase; the primary goal is to satisfy immediate consumer needs.

When Consumer Needs Look Like Investments

But the lines can get blurry. Think about education. I have helped schools boost sales, and it is a fascinating area where consumers absolutely expect a financial return, just not an immediate one.

People spend a fortune on degrees and certifications. They are betting that this expense will lead to a better job and higher pay down the road. These purchase triggers are tied directly to future earning potential.

You even see this with expensive preschools. Parents are not paying for advanced finger painting. They are buying a ticket into a system of private elementary schools, high schools, and eventually, elite universities. It is a long-term play on their child's future success.

The market for online training has also gone wild for this very reason. Professionals are constantly buying courses to learn new skills, get certified, and stay competitive. It is a clear need, but one driven by a desire for career growth and financial security.

Finding the Need No One is Meeting

Your business cannot solve every problem for everyone, and you should not try. The real opportunity lies in finding a specific, unmet need for a specific group of people. This process of market segmentation is vital for building a focused and effective strategy.

This is what we call niching down. When you can pinpoint specific customer pain points, you can design the perfect solution for them. Getting that solution in front of them becomes so much easier because you are not shouting into a void; you are speaking directly to them.

This targeted approach is the foundation of successful lead generation. The customer journey often begins when a person or business becomes aware of a persistent problem. By addressing that specific problem, you create a natural path for them to discover your solution.

For you, as an SAP customer, think about your own clients. What is their core need? It is probably not just about better financial reporting. It is about gaining control, reducing risk, or making smarter decisions faster. When you frame what you do around that deep-seated need, your message becomes much more powerful.

The Powerful "Why" of Emotional Fulfillment

We like to think of ourselves as rational beings, especially in business. We make buying decisions based on data, logic, and ROI. But the truth is, emotion drives a massive portion of our choices, even the ones that seem strictly practical.

Psychological factors often outweigh logical ones. Buying ice cream on a hot day feels like an emotional purchase, but it also fills the need to cool down. But what about the really big buys? During my time working in Dubai, I saw firsthand how emotion can completely take over.

The city is famous for its supercars. I even bought a fun little Mercedes SLK 350 myself. But I was small potatoes compared to the guy who parked his Bugatti Veyron next to me—a car that costs more than most houses and mostly just sat there gathering dust.

It's Not About the Car, It's About the Story

I got to know many of the car dealers in the area. What I learned was eye-opening. The people buying these multi-million dollar cars were not concerned about performance. A Tesla could beat most of them off the line. They were buying to "see and be seen."

It was about the story the car told about them and belonging to an exclusive club. The crazy thing is you could find these amazing cars for sale with almost no miles on them. They look incredible, but they are not built for comfort.

Humans are absolutely wired for stories. It is how we have passed down knowledge and culture for tens of thousands of years. A great storyteller has a massive advantage in business because a good story connects with people on an emotional level that facts and figures just cannot touch. This connection is a direct path to brand loyalty.

Crafting Stories That Move People to Action

I learned the power of storytelling early in my career, long before I got into marketing. I was an USAF officer responsible for a massive aircraft maintenance depot in the military. We had a flight line covering 17 square miles and around 35,000 people working on the base.

One day, a huge storm hit us with almost no warning, with winds strong enough to pick up and toss gigantic aircraft. We had dozens of planes, like the C-5A and C-130s, some without wings or wheels, scattered everywhere. It was a potential disaster.

I gathered my 2,500 people. I did not give them a list of tasks. I told them a 15-minute story about who we were, what we stood for, and why what we were about to do mattered. It was a story about protecting our assets and getting our mission back online.

As soon as I finished, they exploded into action, working together flawlessly to secure every last plane. They did it because they were emotionally invested. They felt a sense of purpose and belonging that a simple order could never create.

Afterward, we handed out recognition. For the civilians and contractors, who made up most of the workforce, we did not have many medals to give. But we gave out certificates of appreciation, held events, and gave small cash rewards. I promise you, those simple paper certificates are still treasured possessions today, guarded by the people who earned them or their families.

How to Weave Stories into Your Business

Telling good stories is not magic. But it does take practice. Here is a simple guide to get you started:

1. Know Your Audience: Spend time with your customers. Listen to their problems and their triumphs by studying their buyer behavior. The more you know them, the better your stories will resonate with their experiences and values.
2. Keep It Simple: The best stories are easy to understand and retell. If your story is too complicated, it will die the minute you finish telling it. A simple, clear narrative has the best chance of being shared.
3. Listen for Questions: If people ask questions after your story, you have done your job. It means they are engaged and want to know more. If you hear crickets, it is time to rethink your approach.
4. Be Responsible: A great story gives you influence. Use it to persuade, not manipulate. There is a big difference between guiding someone to a good decision and tricking them into one.
5. Place Your Product: This is the hardest part. You need to subtly place your product or service into the story as the tool that helps the hero succeed. Do not make it the hero itself; it should be the instrument of victory.

The Visible "Why": The Drive for Status Achievement

Beyond need and emotion, there is a third powerful driver: status. Many people buy things not just for what they do or how they make them feel, but for what they say about them to the world.

It is about displaying markers of success. This does not always mean flashing wads of cash. It can be the brand of your suit, the neighborhood you live in, or the business software you use. These are all status symbols in their own right.

Status is a powerful motivator because we are social creatures. We want to know where we fit in the pecking order. Some brands are built almost entirely on this desire, and these aspirational purchases define their market.

When Status Outweighs Logic

The drive for status can be so strong that it makes people do things that seem illogical. I once had a client who designed high-end shoes. People were actually making installment payments to buy them.

They could not afford the shoes outright, but the status that came with wearing them was so important that they were willing to go into debt for it. They were buying an identity. They were buying a feeling of belonging to a group they aspired to be part of.

In B2B, this is more subtle, but it is definitely there. Using a well-known, premium platform like SAP is not just a technical choice. It sends a message to the market, to investors, and to potential partners that your company is serious, stable, and plays in the big leagues. This social proof provides a tangible competitive advantage.

Not Everyone is Chasing Status

Now, it is important to remember this does not apply to everyone. I classify myself as a very slow, careful buyer. I will spend months, sometimes years, researching a big purchase, a habit shared by many consumers and businesses.

Your product has to be genuinely good to impress people like me, and there are a lot of us out there. We care more about quality, reliability, and value than we do about the label. A positive customer experience, backed by data and proof, is what wins us over.

Your competitors are also watching. If you build a brand based on status, they will be looking for any crack in your reputation. You have to be aggressive about managing your brand and making sure the image you project matches the reality of the experience you deliver.

How the Three "Why"s Work Together

The most effective marketing and sales strategies recognize that these three drivers—need, emotion, and status—rarely exist in isolation. A single purchase can be a complex blend of all three. Understanding this interplay is where you can find a huge advantage.

Consider a family buying a new Volvo. The primary driver might be the need for a safe and reliable car for their children. However, the purchase is also an emotional one, providing a feeling of security and demonstrating that they are responsible parents.

Finally, a Volvo is a premium brand, so owning one confers a certain status. The purchase satisfies a practical need, fulfills an emotional desire, and makes a social statement all at once. Recognizing these overlapping motivations allows you to craft a much more resonant message.

Conclusion

So, we come back to that one simple question: why? As you can see, the answer is rarely simple. Your customer motivation is a complex mixture of needs, emotions, and desires for status.

The key is to understand which of these drivers, or which combination, is most important for your specific audience. Is your product solving a critical business need with a clear financial return? Does it create a powerful emotional connection? Does it signal achievement and success?

Once you truly understand why they buy, you can align your products, your marketing, and your entire business strategy to meet them where they are. This is how you stop just selling things. This is how you start building relationships that create lasting value for both you and your customers.