Are You Talking to Me?

Yesterday, I brought up an important point — that not all customer relationships are the same, and should not be treated as such. Knowing precisely who is your customer, and why, paves the way to a better relationship. The problem with being too focused on only one type of relationship is that you run the risk of ignoring (or boring) others, and ultimately losing them.

The industry term for classifying each type of customer relationship is market segmentation. Large corporations spend fortunes to discover this information. As a small business owner you have a distinct advantage, because you have direct contact with your customers and all aspects of your business. You can be nimble and responsive. By conducting rudimentary focus groups you may actually gain more actionable information than the large corporations.

My gift to you today is permission to ask. That’s right, I want you to talk to each of the customer types who sprang to your mind yesterday. You are searching for concrete information, not seeking approval, so don’t just ask your cheerleaders.

Start by asking your best customers “Why do you buy from me?” Ask them what do they get out of your relationship. Allow people to be comfortable enough to speak freely and genuinely. Ask open questions about what they want and need in general. You will learn a great deal when you ask what they NEED as compared to what you can GIVE. It might surprise you.

Dare to have “the talk” with someone who appears interested but has not committed to you. Don’t try to sell to them. You’re on a fact-finding mission.

Really want to learn more? Then refrain from mentioning your business and talk generally to someone who could be a potential customer. Get their viewpoint on the types of services or products they are looking for. Find their pain points. Most important of all, is to listen with an open mind. The answers will give you the customer’s perspective.