Blog by Lisa Petree
…and Customers Will Listen
A big conversation we keep having lately is all around how to talk to your prospects and customers. It seems that as the world changes and adapts to more and more online marketing, business owners are having a more difficult time communicating with those they are meant to serve. Shouldn’t it be easier to reach your market now that we have Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and all of the other social platforms and marketing channels?
The answer: Yes…and No.
Reaching your prospect is easier, and you can do it with greater frequency and less advertising dollars than at any other time in history. An account with any social media network is free to set up. You can run ads for as little as $2.00 per day and reach thousands of people. Some of them might even become your clients.
The problem comes in when you, as the business owner, really have no understanding of your ideal client. Your future client (and current one, too) really is a human…not just a spider-bot combing the web for keywords. Real customers have thoughts, feelings, concerns, and problems just like you do. It is your job to learn as much about them as you possibly can.
Many of the business owners we have talked with in the past month have had a similar story. They all are struggling to attract new customers. Being curious, we naturally started asking questions around this problem. Why do you think this has become such a problem? What have you been doing to change it? How are you talking to them?
The answers to the last question all had something in common. We have seen marketing copy on websites and print, heard “elevator” speeches, and listened to presentations meant to attract new business. And everyone talked all about the business and the great things the business does. No one talked about the client they were to serve.
We humans are funny creatures. We all want to be heard, cared about and valued. And we are all somewhat self-absorbed. Is it any wonder that marketing which is centered on the business (and not the customer) falls flat?
Becoming a customer-focused marketer is hard. You have to come out of your own self-absorption as a business owner and really strive to understand your customer. What do they like? What do they dislike? What problems do they have and how can you solve them? What language do they hear? When you begin to understand the answers to these questions and start using your newly found knowledge about your clients, you leave them feeling heard and valued.
Amazing things start to happen in your business…things that increase your bottom line.
