The internet today provides so much information about you, your business and how it performs, your competitors products and pricing, so if your business does not communicate your emotional connection to the buyer, your going to close less sales than you should.
Think about it; a customer today does his research for sales information in the online world. As a sales person, your influence over a customer comes much later in the selling cycle. The first step is education. Traditionally, the sales person got to educate the buyer and provide the features and benefits pitch to influence the buyer.
Today, this function is partly replaced by your website, your customer reviews and your social media channels. So your customer has more information than ever before. Your customer probably knows they have problem (to which the sales of your product/service will fix), or if they are unsure of the problem, they are doing research (they are determining online if your product/service can fix their issue IF they buy your product/service).
If price can be checked online, and features and benefits hard to differentiate, then the only way to stand out is your emotional connection to your customer. Asks yourself and answers a couple of sales orientated questions:
- What your business actually values (and this will be verified by social media posts),
- How you treat your customers during the sale process (is it consistent)
- How you care for your customers after the sale (have you built your values in your business recognising the lifetime value of a customer)
- How well have you understood the emotional and unspoken thoughts of your customer (their background story) of why it is important to them that you solve their problem
- Did you deliver on your customers’ expectations.
- Your promise during the research and pre-sales process, was it aligned so the outcome from the sale was seamless and the customer experience without issue?
As a Business Coach Melbourne, I chat with and listen to business owners every day, every week. I know one of the keys to success in business is to move your business away from price in this competitive and online world in which we live in. People like to connect, and the more emotional connection there is with your business culture and values, the more opportunity you have to move the sales process away from price. And the more sticky and loyal your customer will become to your brand.
Your reason for being in business, the “why” question, underwrites your values, your culture, your commitment and standards, your team working environment, and your marketing messages.
I know myself that asking the “why” question is sometimes hard to define, I have had to do it myself. I found I was great at this is “what I do”, and I knew “how I do it”, but underlying all of this, is me – my standards, what drives me, my emotional connection as to why I care about business owners running a better business. I want the best outcome possible for you, and to share your journey so you become better at business,and at management, and better at understanding “why” you are in business. It is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales and profit – I’ve seen this work time and time again.
It would be great to hear your story and if you connect with my thoughts on “why”, and the value it has bought to your approach and to your business life. Take care