simonhopes
Think about your core business, your flagship product, or marquee service. Now answer the following question:
“When my customers refer me to others, what three things are they saying about what I do?”
Have you got your answers? Now ask your customers the same question…their answers may surprise you. As a business owner I know that I’ve fell into the trap of marketing the service I think I provide, instead of marketing the service my customers think I provide. There can be a big difference between the two, and especially in the opinions of the most important people – your customers.. Only after you know what your customers value, why they use your service, and most importantly what they say about you to others can you begin to tailor your marketing message. Its all well and good using software like Salesforce, Power Bi or Tableau to dissect your data, but getting the consumers themselves to tell you what’s going on is another level of information, and one that cannot be undervalued.
It’s okay if there is an initial disconnect between what you think of you, and what they think of you. Within the disconnect lies opportunity to more efficiently serve your current customers and attract new ones. Most importantly, it lets you get down to the nub of the opinion of the people that make your business what it is. Without them you would be nothing.
This exercise also provides opportunity to evaluate how well you are educating your customer base into the value of your services. If they are missing the big picture, the main “value add” of your business, you need to begin educating and crafting better messages to help them realize how you can help them.
Let me know how this exercise goes for you, I’d be interested in hearing your story.
