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Customer Motivation Profiles
How customers find, trust and work with you
Understand what motivates your customers to know how and where to connect with them
Profile A: Crisis
Something has gone wrong and needs fixing immediately.
Examples:
- Emergency plumber
- Locksmith
- Emergency electrician
- Glazier
- Pest controller
- Vehicle recovery service
Profile B: Maintenance
Ongoing upkeep to keep things running smoothly.
Examples:
- Hairdresser
- Domestic cleaner
- Gardener
- Window cleaner
- Dog groomer
- Bookkeeper
Profile C: Decision
A considered decision that requires confidence.
Examples:
- Tattoo artist
- Wedding photographer
- Kitchen fitter
- Interior designer
- Web designer
- Driving instructor
Profile D: Obligation
A task driven by rules, compliance, or deadlines.
Examples:
- Accountant – required tax/accounts work
- Gas engineer
- Electrician carrying out an EICR
- Energy assessor providing an EPC
- PAT tester
- Fire risk assessor
Profile E: Growth
Self-improvement, aspiration, or future-oriented change.
Examples:
- Personal trainer
- Hypnotherapist
- Music teacher
- Private tutor
- Language teacher
- Career coach
The Model
- There are 5 profiles describing types of customer motivation
- Motivation is triggered by specific types of events in a customer’s life
- Each profile has a different urgency window and decision speed
- A single business can operate across multiple profiles depending on the situation
- Businesses with access to Crisis, Maintenance, and Obligation are generally more resilient during economic downturns
- Each profile requires different messaging, proof, and timing
Structural Insights
- Most real-world demand is concentrated in Crisis and Maintenance
- Economic pressure shifts demand toward repair, upkeep, and obligation
- Some businesses can adapt across profiles, others cannot
- The model is demand-side (customer motivation), not business type