March 29, 2024

Sales and Marketing Advice for Florida business

How to know exactly what your customers want

Ron Stein | 2/2/2015

How do we get more leads? How do we close more sales? And the ever popular, "How do I clearly communicate what our business does?"

These are the three questions I hear most often when prospective clients call, at networking events, and before I speak at a seminar -- from business owners and large company CEOs to salespeople and venture capitalist.

This line of questioning is an understandable place to start the conversation on how to improve your business. Yet, these are the three easiest, and wrong, questions to ask. Sorry to say that, but it's true.

Asking the right questions is without a doubt much more difficult than many would like to admit. And, that's as it should be. When great questions are asked, your company will get on track and prosper faster.

Like a wise coach or an astute therapist that digs deep with their questioning, focusing on the fundamentals first will boost your marketing and sales. This works for every type of company and business model, in every industry, no matter if they are established corporations or startups.

So, where do you start? Well, it's not with a question. Start with the idea that you'll only rocket revenue when you fuel your starship with an "it's all about the customer" mindset. The journey to a profitable revenue stream for your business hinges on your ultimate focus -- your prospects and customers.

Instead of asking how you get more leads or clearly communicate what your business does, ask questions that takes the understanding of your buyer to the next level. It's hard to think of a strategy, tactic, or difficult decision that won't come from the responses to hard questions.

Answer these questions from your market's perspective, not yours.

Who are you? The temptation for most businesses is to start with the question of how to best crystalize their message into a bite size statement and then move on to the question of how to reach more prospects with that. The first rule is to totally understand who your perfect target customer is -- their unique mix of goals, values, and problems. That will give you the insight needed to shape your message. Ask on your buyer's behalf, "Which industry do you work in?", "What are you (or your company) trying to accomplish?", "What do you value most?" "What are the trends that affect you?", "What are your biggest challenges?, and "What does a day in your life look like?" Don't forget to ask demographic questions, where appropriate, such as about geography, age range, education, and so on.

What problem do you need to solve? Sounds simple enough, yet many businesses have a hard time with this. It's all about the reality of what the buyer is going through and how they perceive that. Great questions help you understand the buyer's issues. Try, "How well does your current solution work and why?", What don't you like about it and why?", "What would a great solution look like for you?", "How do you describe what success looks like?", and "How will you measure a successful outcome?" Two bonus questions are, "What are your most common objections to a product or service like ours?" and, "How can I help you sleep better every night, do your job better, get more leads, or make more money?"

Where can you be reached? Before making a purchase people gather most of their information online. However, depending on the person, industry, and objectives offline activities and traditional media will play a role too. So, find out first where your buyers hang out most often to look for the type of information you have. Ask your customers, "How do you consume information?", What search terms would you use to find solutions like ours?", "Do you prefer to learn in-person, by reading ebooks and blogs, or attending webinars?", "What websites do you visit, blogs and magazines or industry- specific publications do you read, trade shows or networking events will you attend, or what social networks do you use most often?", and "Which sources do you trust the most; friends, industry experts, family, coworkers, or Google?" Now you know were to show up and place your content.

There are thousands of ways to spend your marketing and sales dollars. Ask existing customers and the people who you think might like to purchase your products or services these questions. Now you have enough information to build a perfect prospect profile.

With this knowledge in hand, you are finally in a position to tailor a message to your ideal customer -- since you now know what motivates them and what turns them off. You can frame the issues your buyer faces and the benefits of your solutions in their terms. Maybe most important of all, your message will resonate loudly with prospects as you demonstrate that your business deeply understands them and what they're going through.

This is how you get more leads and close more sales.


Ron Stein is President of FastPath Marketing (www.marketing-strategies-guide.com) and the author of the Rapid Impact Marketing & Selling Playbook. As a speaker, coach, and consultant he works with small business owners helping them to accelerate the path between their vision and the actions needed to reach, win, and keep customers. Ron is the creator of the FastPath to More Customers Now! 7-step marketing system based on more than twenty years as a successful business owner, corporate CEO, business development executive, and salesman. He is also a mentor at two nationally recognized business accelerators. Ron offers one-on-one and small group mentoring, conducts seminars, and consults. He can be reached at 727-398-1855 or Ron@FastPathMarketing.com.

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