MAVERYCK MARKETING: SERVE YOUR CUSTOMER WITH UNDERSTANDING
“The customer is always right” goes the old age adage – matter of opinion, huh? But when put into the proper context of no customers, no business, this adage begins to paint a much brighter picture. Let’s be clear, we are not referring to so-called bad customers, we are referring to the good ones. Good customers are like precious gems – hard to find, but once you have one, you treasure it. You never want to lose it. But the moment this precious gem is lost, you can realize its true value was much greater than you ever imagined. You begin to activate hopeful thoughts by telling yourself, “my gem is not lost, it is just misplaced and it will show up again soon”. On the contrary, your gem is probably lost and lost forever. In the same way, you need to treasure and understand how important your customer is to your business. You should listen to your customer and not impose your own agenda. Customers have a pre-conceived expectation about their wants and needs, including what to expect from your business.
QUESTION: How can you help your customer if you do not understand your customer’s situation?
The answer to this question is quite simple. Yes, you can absolutely and without a doubt still help your customer even though you do not fully understand your customer’s complete situation. However, make a note to self that your end result will more than often conclude in the form of dissatisfied customers who reel from their gut reactions that time, energy and money was wasted — customers who will recognize your competition as their knight in shining armor. Can you say stagnation? All customers are worth the effort to understand, and listening is the best strategy to achieve this task. Listen to your customer, so that you can really know your customer! Ms. Karen Mills, Managing Member of Mills Law Associates, LLC states The Maveryck Team provided excellent customer service in assisting me with the content development for my website. I was truly impressed with their “holistic” approach to clearly understand my business aspirations in both the short and long term. I would definitely use the Team on future projects.” Instead of trying to impose your own agenda on the customer, try focusing on the customer; finding out what the customer wants (and needs); and doing what you can to satisfy and retain the customer. Unfortunately, for some businesses, customer service is just a bunch of talk and very little action. Action is what keeps your customer satisfied, and ultimately will keep your customer for life. Remember, put your customer first!
Of course, it makes sense to market your business to attract new business but it also makes sense to know that customers become loyal when they are satisfied. It is good to promote what services your business can offer to the customer but it is even better to inform the customer that your business exists to serve them. Dr. Jagdish Sheth and Andrew Sobel clearly described the concept about good service in their book “Clients for Life” when referring to a conversation between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Wendel Willkie, a defeated 1940 presidential candidate. Willkie wanted to know why Roosevelt was so loyal to Roosevelt’s advisor Harry Hopkins when many people distrusted Hopkins and resented his influence. Roosevelt told Willkie that a president’s job is a lonely one and virtually everyone who approaches the president does so because they want something. Hopkins was able to become Roosevelt’s trusted advisor because he never asked for anything “except to serve”.
Now it is your turn to act! Maveryck Marketing recommends you practice the following four points to better understand and serve your customer:
(1) Exemplify Good Intentions
- Eliminate hidden agendas
- Express sincere concern for your customer’s situation
- Strive to deliver the absolute best results
(2) Be an Active Listener
- Gain customer’s perspective
- Uncover additional perspectives/opportunities
(3) Confirm and Relate
- Interpret customer’s perspective
- Clarify and confirm (ask questions)
(4) Offer Constructive Guidance
- Recommend value-added solutions based on your customer’s business objectives
- Present scalable options (cost, ease of implementation, timeframe, etc.)
Maveryck Marketing: Reaching the Decision Maker with a Purpose – Second Episode
In my previous blog post, “Maveryck Marketing: Reaching the Decision Maker – First Episode” , I discussed various ways I mentor business owners on how to connect with the “right” people within companies they are targeting for business opportunities and how to not waste time doing so.
In this Second Episode, we will walk together to understand the importance of not only how to reach the decision maker, but how reach the decision maker with a purpose.
Every phone call, in-person visit, blog post and other business development activity should be executed with a purpose. For instance, the purpose of this blog post is two-fold. Firstly, I sincerely want to share my knowledge with others so they can successfully grow their businesses. Secondly, I want to continue to grow Maveryck Marketing and want to help grow Maveryck’s strategic partners’ businesses, simultaneously!
REMEMBER THIS: You can actually generate business revenue from sharing your knowledge, especially when the information you share adds “true” value to your target audience (the people who you are trying to reach). When you deliver something good to your audience, they will share it with others and others when others experience the same, they will share the information with their network- and so forth and so on… Here below are some examples from the Maveryck blog:
Air Jordan 22 says:
January 7, 2011 at 12:49 AM
It is said that, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not seriously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Your blog is worth for me to read attentively.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Anibal Dandrow says:
January 5, 2011 at 9:59 AM
Hi administrator, I’ve got a small request. I had been basically searching for details on the topic you wrote and located this post. Some really nice material you published here. Can I please share this post on my latest web site I’m working on? That would certainly be great . I am going to come back yet again later on to see how you replied, Thanks!!
________
____________________________________________________________________________
WORD of MOUTH and online viral marketing can be a great inexpensive way to grow your business- in a relatively short amount of time. Malcolm Gladwell talks about this in great detail in his book, “Tipping Point”.
In the First Episode, I mentioned the importance of connecting with individuals who can provide valuable information regarding their company and provide information about other individuals who either have responsibilities evaluating the procurement options considered, influencing the choices made or deciding on what gets purchased. The three roles are affectionately known as the Evaluator, the Influencer and the Decision Maker, respectively. Please treat each with the same level of respect as they each play a significant role in the decision process/loop. Communication can flow in any direction within an organization.
Author and Personal Communication Skills Consultant, Kevin Daley, clearly discusses this point in his book (with Emmett Wolfe), “Socratic Selling- How to Ask the Questions that Get the Sale”. Kevin writes about the importance of listening more than talking. Socratic Selling has the following the principles: RESPECT THE CUSTOMER, HELP THE CUSTOMER THINK and HELP THE CUSTOMER MAKE DECISIONS. Is great read and is what I believe!!
Assuming you have successfully navigated your way through the company and have reached one of the three parties within the decision loop…
What will you say to them?
Remember in the first episode I wrote about how you need to deliver who you are, the company you are with and the purpose of your call in less than 10 seconds. The “purpose” will allow who you are speaking with to quickly identify which organization (or team) and/or person to refer you to. Well the same is true with the decision loop person. You may only have one opportunity do a great job so you need to be prepared.
Understand the company as much as possible, its successes and its challenges. Be prepared to have something to offer the company today, tomorrow or even several months from now. Let me expand that thought.
If the person asks you:
“What can your company provide to our company?”
Please do not say:
“We build the best websites for our clients and we can do the same for you…”
That is not helping the customer, or in this case, helping the potential customer think. That response does not add or help the person quantify or imagine specifically how your company’s offering fit with their company needs. A better response would be:
“ Ms. Johnson, I researched your company’s website and read numerous reports and press releases. I found that your company is planning to help non-profit organizations whose agenda addresses environmental sustainability. The report stated that over the next 3 years your company will invest $30 million dollars on staff support, marketing and educational materials.
Ms. Johnson, you want to know where my company fits into this equation? We can support your marketing efforts during the next 3 years. We have extensive, global experience working with non-profits that exist to specifically deal with environmental issues.
Now, I envision my company working directly with yours and with the nonprofits to map out a strategic marketing plan that will effectively communicate the message that we help develop so that the intended target audiences clearly understand the purpose of the message and happily take the appropriate action to support the cause.
Furthermore Ms. Johnson, my company can also team with yours to identify and develop appropriate marketing tactics where the messages can channel through. Like your company, our company is totally committed to the Green Initiative and will continue to align ourselves with entities who are the same.
Now that have I have painted a picture of what we can provide, would you be interested in exploring the possibilities of our companies working together to serve the non-profit organizations your company plans to support?”
Now, I had planned to continue this post but I will stop here because I am very interested in knowing what your thoughts are regarding the role play statements above. Please be specific, clear and concise as I would like to simulate some good conversation around it.
Your thoughts are always appreciated. And there is more on this topic to come!
Follow us on Twitter: @MrMaveryck
Join me on LinkedIn: Keith Philpot, MSC
Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MaveryckMarketing