Consumers don’t answer questions at a deep level when you initially ask them why they bought or would buy a product. How do you tap into their psyche to get at those underlying motivations? The Means-End approach uses laddering to get to the underlying “why” behind the interviewee’s purchasing decision, and could be your solution.

Consumer behavior isn’t based on rational decisions alone. Emotions are dominant in dictating their thoughts, spurring motivations, and actions. To understand the "why" behind customer motivations and actions, you need to understand both sides.

How well do you really know your target audience? The reality is that most marketers don’t. But understanding your customers is critical to delivering the best customer experience, serving up the right product, or whatever your intended business objective may be. You can’t positively impact your business if you don’t everything about them.