Customer relationships – Velocity Media

24 November 2015

Are your motives costing you business?

Networking can be an interesting experience. While you meet a lot of different personalities and businesses, two types of people tend to stand out in the crowd, those who are interested in building relationships and those focused on the sale.

While we need sales to survive in business, there is a real danger in making sales your only focus. Could your motives be costing you customers?

The sales-focused, money driven person

We all know this character, and there’s a high chance we’ve all been this character at some point in our careers. They are the ones who nearly give you a paper cut as they shove their business card under your nose or the businesses that make you feel like a dollar sign rather than a living, breathing, paying customer.

While you may still buy from these characters, chances are you are buying because it is easier, cheaper, or there is no other viable option at the moment, not because you are loyal to them.

The same applies to your customers. When you focus on ‘getting the sale’ your customers’ money has a habit of becoming more important than the problems they need solving, and let’s face it anyone willing to pay becomes your customer not just those you know you can help. While this might help you with short-term cash flow, it can harm you long-term and leave you vulnerable to disruption.

If your customers are only with you because you are the cheapest or the most viable at the moment you need to prepare for a mass exit when something better comes along – and it will.

The service-focused, value-driven person

Smart business owners know that the best way of generating more sales is to stop selling and start serving.

I’ll never forget the day I decided to stop having sales meetings and start having problem-solving sessions. I was no longer at a meeting to ‘get the sale’ I was there to ‘give value’ through an idea, suggestion, shortcut, solution, contact or similar, and ensure my potential customer walked away with something far more tangible than my business card.

Making this shift not only felt more authentic, but it also made building relationships easier, meetings more productive, and it generated a lot more sales and referrals.

Why? Because people want to be helped not sold to.

So the next time you are networking or at a sales meeting, remember that customers want to be more than a sale to you. And if you don’t want to act as a lead source for your competitors, make sure you never make them feel that way.

Amanda

10 November 2014

How to create more raving fans in your business

When it comes to creating raving fans in your business, great service is only the beginning. You need to be intuitive, understanding your customers’ needs, wants and expectations so you can go above and beyond to create a truly ‘wow’ experience.

Happy customers will always be your greatest sales people, but how do you get them to the point where they want to tell the world about you? Here are four steps to help you create more raving fans in your business.

1. Anticipate needs and wants

Raving fans come naturally when a business takes the time to get in the mind of their customers. When you can anticipate needs and wants, by getting to know your customers and looking into why they use your product or service, how they use it and what solutions they want as a result of it, you can create more relevant, targeted products and services.

You’ll also start to uncover what is not yet being offered that would be of benefit to your customers. Often people don’t realise what they want until it is presented to them. The more you ‘get’ or understand your customers, the more they will rave about you.

2. Understand expectations

Raving fans come from exceeding expectations, but to do that you need to know and understand what your customers’ expectations are in the first place. What do they want from your product or service? What results are they expecting to receive? What information do they need, and what level of service are they after?

Once you identify what they are expecting, you can then identify ways to exceed those expectations. It could be something standard that you do right across the board or it could be something that you tailor person to person.

3. Make their life easier

If there is one thing we all have in common it’s limited time. We are all busy, and have what seems to be a never-ending list of things to do.

But this can also work in your favour. If you can make your customers lives easier, whether it is through quicker turnaround times, an easier process, a more tailored product or service, faster results or another benefit, they are more likely to tell everyone about you.

While everyone wants to save money, in my experience you will have even greater results in saving your customers time.

4. Do more than you need to

Give your customers more than what they expect of you. It could be as simple as answering all of their questions, doing some research for them, giving them free tips or pointers, sharing additional information that may help them, providing additional training or support, or following-up to make sure they get the most value out of their purchase.

Always ask, “What can I give my customers that they would want, but can’t get anywhere else?”

How do you create raving fans in your business?

Amanda

12 May 2014

Six tips to create a more customer-focused business

If you want to create a real competitive edge in your business start focusing on your customers. It sounds obviously simple, but the fact is most businesses continue to focus on what value they can get as opposed to what value they can give.

But when you start to focus on your customers and what they want and need, you create better products and services, generate more business opportunities and sales, develop more loyal customers and increase your referrals.

So to ensure you are reaping the benefits and profits of giving value, here are six tips to help you create a more customer-focused business.

1. Stay connected to the needs of your customers

Your business success is directly determined by how connected you are with your customer and their needs. As a business owner it can be easy to fall into the trap of offering, stocking or doing what you want instead of considering what your customers want, but it’s one of the fastest way to limit your growth.

To refocus yourself and remain connected to your customer you need to be constantly asking questions, both of your customers and of yourself. Questions like what do my customers want from my product, service, business or industry? What are their current frustrations or complaints and how can they be improved or solved?

2. Anticipate future needs and trends

While meeting your customers current needs is important, in order to future proof your business and really establish your point of difference you also need to anticipate their future needs.

Ask yourself, what will my customers want from my products or services in three, five or ten years? What new trends or technologies are going to impact on how they use my products or services? What is not yet being offered that would benefit my customers?

3. Write your marketing from your customer’s perspective

“You” is one of the most powerful marketing words you can use. Not only does it help your reader connect with you when the read or hear your content, when you continually write from the angle of “you” instead of “we” you stay in the mind of your customer and can more easily identify and anticipate their needs and wants.

You start to uncover what is important to them, what they value most and what part of your products and services will most appeal to them.

4. See your customer as a friend not a sale

One of the smartest things you can do in your business is to stop selling and start serving. When you change your approach from “how much can I get out of you” to “how can I help you” your customer’s guard comes down, they relax and start to open up to you.

When you add value to them and appear to be looking out for their best interests, they become more receptive to what you are saying, value your opinion and are more likely to see you as a trusted expert who can help them, increasing the likelihood of you making the sale.

5. Stay in regular contact

To build a relationship with your customers you need to stay in regular contact with them, but not just through newsletters and email marketing, genuine, personal contact. Talk to them to see how they are going. Keep in touch in a way that makes them feel valued.

Be proactive, your existing customers are the easiest sales you will ever make so make sure you look after them and take an interest.

6. Always add value

One of your goals in business should be to give your customers what they can’t get anywhere else, or in a way they can’t get anywhere else.

It could be as simple as taking the time to answer all of their questions, giving them an added bonus, sending them a book, resource or opportunity that you know they would benefit from, or having their favourite coffee and snack when they come to meet you.

Always be looking at how you could be adding value to each of your customers in order to make their experience with you even more memorable.

How do you stay customer focused in your business?