Just because you think you know what your customer wants in Halifax, Dartmouth, Truro, Toronto or elsewhere does not mean that you will resonate with your customers. You have to get into the mind of your customers and give them what they want. Not what you think they want.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=paFICSA8JFw%3Frel%3D0

As business owners and marketeers, we can fall into the trap of giving our customers what we think they want. This is a very common blind side to many businesses. You have a product or a service that you are pushing, and tell your customers that they need you. The problem with this approach is that your potential customers may not buy into what you are putting in front of them.

You need to look at the wants and needs of your customers, and give them what they are looking for. In the end, the product and service many very well be the same, but it’s in how you present them to your customers that counts. Are we going to be like the Mad Men Marketeers, or are we going to listen to our customers and help them find the right fit for their needs?

I often think of what Macy’s did in the movie “Miracle On 34th Street”. If Macy’s did not have the product, they sent their customer to Gimbels, or elsewhere where the product could be found. Now I can hear you cringing right now. But consider this, your customer has changed immensely since those early days. They are smartly, and they communicate with one an other better thanks to social media. What then shall they say about your business? It can determine how many see you as a business. So how do you want to be seen? Helpful or self-serving?

When we deliver that right stuff to our customers, they will tell their friends. When they perceive that you care, then they will care about you and your business. You will have to earn their respect. Now I know that all customers are not alike. Some are pretty hard to deal with. But the majority are good customers that just want to find a good place to do business. When we help our customers find this, we do a great service for them and for our business.

So how can we determine how we are resonating with our customers? We can use social media analytics. There are lots of information to gather that will help your business do better. But we can also look at how people are talking about using by observing what they say, on and off social media. When a customer is in front of you, take that moment to ask them questions. Most will simply want to help, if they ave the time. Many will be glad you asked.

My other blog post on Do You Resonate With Your Customers? dealt with the stats side of determining if you resonate with your customers. But don’t leave everything to stats. Use those face to face moments as well to see how you are doing. Learn the right questions to ask that will give you the right feedback you need.

Your customers will tell you want it takes to get them to resonate with your business. Don’t be afraid to ask.

So here’s to a great day in business for you. I am cheering you on 😀