How a Premium Equipment Brand Reset Buyer Perceptions and Won Small Business Customers
Executive Summary
A premium compact construction equipment manufacturer had a problem. They had great products, competitive pricing, and attractive financing options, but they just couldn't seem to connect with small business owners. These were the exact customers they were trying to reach. Through focus groups with 26 equipment owners who purchased competing brands, we discovered something surprising. The issue wasn't their products or pricing. It was all about perception. Here's how we helped them bridge that gap.
Why They Needed Help
When first speaking with this equipment manufacturer we could tell they were frustrated. They'd been in the compact construction equipment market for a long time with what they thought was a winning strategy. They believed their products were solid, their prices were competitive, and they offered great financing deals. But sales weren't meeting the company’s expectations.
The more we talked with their team, the clearer the problem became. Overall, potential customers saw their brand as premium, which sounds good until you realize that "premium" often translates to "expensive" in the minds of buyers. Small business owners were writing them off without even looking at what they had to offer.
Here's what we were dealing with:
Small business owners assumed the brand was too expensive for them.
Existing marketing efforts weren’t changing this perception.
Meanwhile, competitors like Kubota, Bobcat, and John Deere were firmly established and top-of-mind for buyers.
Our client needed to understand not only what customers wanted, but why they weren't even considering this brand as an option.
Our Research Approach
To truly understand these buyers, we needed to hear directly from them and learn how they think, what matters most to them, and how they make decisions. Some of the most valuable insights come straight from customers as they talk through their experiences in their own words.
The study included:
4 focus groups conducted over 4 days
26 participants, all of whom had purchased compact construction equipment within the past three years
Groups organized by brand ownership to compare perceptions, with 2 groups of Kubota owners, 1 group of Bobcat owners, and 1 group of John Deere owners
Each session lasted about 2 hours, giving us time to explore buying journeys, brand perceptions, and reactions to different marketing messages in depth
What We Set Out to Learn
How do these buyers go about researching before they make a purchase?
What factors matter most to them when deciding what to buy?
What are they looking for from dealers during the buying process?
How do they respond to different kinds of marketing messages?
By digging into how they felt about the brands they knew, we were able to uncover fresh insights into how they might see our client’s brand and what it would take to influence their thinking.
What We Uncovered
A major surprise was just how much homework these buyers do before making a purchase. They spend hours on Google, watch countless YouTube videos, read through industry forums, and rely heavily on the opinions of colleagues. Yet despite all this research, many were still making assumptions about our client’s brand without ever looking into it directly. One participant captured it well by saying that walking into the client’s showroom felt like “walking onto a big college campus.” It was impressive, but also a little overwhelming. For many small business owners, that experience alone made them think they were not the intended customer.
When we explored what truly drives their purchase decisions, four themes came up again and again. Price matters, but they are not willing to cut corners on quality just to save a few dollars. Dependability and reliability are critical because downtime hits their bottom line hard. They also need equipment that is easy to service so issues can be resolved quickly and keep their projects moving forward.
Looking at where they get their information, word-of-mouth is still the gold standard. These buyers trust recommendations from friends and colleagues far more than any advertisement. At the same time, they are surprisingly digital, doing plenty of online research through search engines, forums, and videos. When it comes to the buying process, they want dealers who make things simple. They prefer a quick, hassle-free experience and especially like it when equipment can be brought directly to their job sites for demos.
We also uncovered some clear signals about what marketing works. Radio remains a major channel, particularly AM stations that play in the background while they work. Billboards can be very effective too, provided they are easy to read and visually striking. TV ads, on the other hand, largely fall flat since most people either skip them or do not watch much TV outside of sports. Digital ads also need to be big and bold to have any chance of standing out.
Creative Test Results
This is where the research truly became eye-opening. When we tested our client’s marketing materials with participants, the reactions were strikingly positive. Buyers who had never seriously considered the brand before suddenly began to pay attention. The billboard ads stood out most for their directness and clear messaging. Participants appreciated how these ads delivered solid information immediately, with the 0% financing offers consistently grabbing their attention across all groups.
The digital banner ads also performed well, but only when they were large enough to be noticed. When they were prominent on the page, participants preferred them over similar ads from competing brands. The pricing details caught many eyes, although a few buyers admitted they were skeptical, wondering if the offers might be too good to be true.
Television commercials turned out to be more memorable than expected, particularly those highlighting the “We’ll Come to You” concept. The idea of on-site demonstrations and the promise of 0% financing for 60 months stuck with people. One John Deere owner summed up the breakthrough by saying, “I would think about responding if I were in the market.” This might seem like a modest comment but since it came from someone who had never even considered our client’s brand before, it was a major shift.
These findings showed just how powerful clear, customer-focused marketing messages can be in breaking through long-held perceptions and opening doors to entirely new audiences.
What We Recommended
We distilled all these insights into seven clear, actionable strategies to help shift buyer perceptions and drive more sales:
Focus your digital marketing where buyers research.
Place campaigns on YouTube, industry forums, and social media. That’s where these customers do their homework and look for trusted information.Use large, eye-catching ads that stand out.
Invest in big, bold web banners that prominently highlight financing, and warranty offers so they can’t be missed.Train your sales team to build genuine relationships.
Equip reps to become trusted advisors, not just salespeople. In this industry, word-of-mouth referrals carry enormous weight.Shift messaging to highlight tough, dependable, and affordable.
Move beyond simply promoting premium quality. Show that your equipment is reliable, durable, and priced right for small business owners.Show you’re truly accessible to small businesses.
Address misconceptions head-on and prove that your brand is approachable and built for their needs.Highlight innovations and new features.
These buyers care about having the latest tools. Make sure your marketing spotlights any new technology.Counter the “Rolls Royce” perception directly.
Break the myth that your products are only for big players. Position them clearly for working professionals who rely on performance day in and day out.
How Perceptions Changed
What we discovered wasn’t that our client had a product issue or even a pricing problem. The real challenge was perception. And that’s good news because perception can be changed with the right approach.
Here’s what stood out most to us:
Not a single participant had ever actually looked up our client’s pricing.
More than 90% responded positively to the marketing materials once they had a chance to see them.
The very features they valued most, like 0% financing and on-site demos, were already part of our client’s offering.
This research gave them a clear path forward: stop trying to be positioned purely as the premium option and start showing they’re the smart, accessible choice for small business owners.
Why This Research Mattered
This project was a perfect example of what we do best at Revelare Insights. We don’t just validate our client’s suspicions or deliver surface-level feedback. Instead, we uncovered the deeper story behind why their growth was stalled. The real barrier wasn’t what the client thought, and the solution turned out to be more straightforward than they ever imagined.
Through carefully structured qualitative research, we were able to get to the heart of what was really holding them back. We designed a study that invited honest, unfiltered feedback, which turned into actionable insights they could use immediately. This meant not only identifying how buyers viewed their brand but also pinpointing exactly how to reposition it for better results.
At the end of the day, we gave them far more than a report. We provided a roadmap to change the narrative, connect with the right customers, and ultimately drive stronger business outcomes.
Want to Uncover What's Really Behind Your Marketing Challenges?
Maybe your brand is facing similar perception hurdles that are holding back your growth. Or perhaps you’re not sure why your marketing isn’t getting the traction you expected.
We can help you:
Discover what’s truly stopping customers from choosing you.
Test your marketing messages with real buyers, not assumptions.
Identify the most effective ways to reach your audience.
Develop strategies that move the needle and drive real ROI.
Ready to get clarity on what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next? Contact us and let’s uncover the insights that will move your business forward.