Sunday, 20 of May of 2012
Real Ideas to Grow Real Businesses By Russell J. White
Being in sales is like being a pinata — people beat you with sticks and you still have to give them the candy! Learn how to hand the customer the stick, so then you can give them the candy. Buyer believability is critical to being able to sell. To grow your business understand the perspective of being a willing pinata.
Customers want to work with organizations they can trust and trust is a scarce commodity in these economic times. Not only are people more distrustful of organizations because of our economic situation, as well as because there is so much misinformation filling the media as well as online. So what does a customer do? They look for businesses desiring a trust-based relationship. Businesses that cut the BS and be honest, listen and respond to customers are the ones who will rise above the noise of information and grow their businesses. How are you building trust for your organization with your customers?
Check out this short video for 5 ways to build customer trust.
Last year the buzz at SXSW (SXSW.com) was Foursquare and a year later 450,000 people are eager participants in the location-based phone app that is changing the marketing picture for businesses by placing it in the hands of customers.
What is foursquare?
Foursquare is a smartphone application that allows the user to “check-in” to an establishment and get points for doing so. With the right combination of check-ins a person unlocks badges and scores points. This “game” is shifting how word of mouth on businesses is transferred.
Anyone can enter a business into Foursquare, in fact the first person to enter a business into Foursquare gets additional points, meaning as a business owner you may not even be aware you have a foursquare page. I recently entered the Anytime Fitness location I am a member of and told the owner I had just done this. She gave me a blank look as I explained how it worked and what it could mean to her business. She blew it off.
Why is Foursquare important?
Every time a person checks into a business using the Foursquare app they have the opportunity to enter a comment or a tip about the business. Foursquare also allows the user to set up notification to all Facebook and Twitter friends and followers they have. In my case that means when I check into a business 1100 Facebook fans and over 6800 twitter followers see what I enter.
Bad service? I let almost 8000 people know in an instant. Do a great job for me? I let 8000 people know! Research shows repeatedly how word of mouth marketing is considered the best and most reliable and with the new technology friends comments become instant information to thousands.
Grab opportunities
The person who checks into your business most frequently with Foursquare becomes the “Mayor” I am the Mayor of a local grocery store, a local lunch spot as well as a hotel I stay at in Louisville, KY and Gate B4 in the Louisville airport my flights always use. What should this matter to a business? Plenty.
Customers love to be the insider and foursquare users take great pride in being the mayor of a place. Want to drive good word of mouth? Treat your mayor special. Giveaways, thank you notes, even marquee recognition gives an organization a chance to be part of the game, while also driving positive word of mouth.
Imagine the next time I check into the Louisville hotel I am the mayor of that I am greeted with, “Mr. White thank you for being a gold member (which I get every time I check in here) and I see you are our current mayor! Here is the chocolate coin for being a gold member and as mayor you get breakfast complimentary.” You think I won’t be telling close to 8000 people about my mayor breakfast?
Foursquare is an emerging marketing opportunity savvy businesses will enjoy creating customer insiders who will spread the good word.
Buyer believability in this time of rampant distrust is critical to your business growth strategies. Leaders of small businesses especially have to be tuned in the buyers concerns. There are so many options facing buyers, they are eager to find those who they believe they can trust. Add that to the overwhelming amount of information facing a buyer, much of which is pure garbage, and the choices can be overwhelming to the buyer.The companies who create buyer believability are the companies who are going to succeed in the new economy. Are you ready to answer the 5 most important questions a buyer needs answered honestly in words and actions?
Buyers have 5 important questions they must have answered successfully before they are willing to buy.
Check out this short (less than 3 minutes) video on these buyer questions.
Bonus: Is your organization on a tight budget? Don’t let the learning stop!!! Why not use these Friday videos for a Lunch and Learn for your staff? Bring in a pizza or a deli tray, watch the short video and use the following discussions questions to figure the best way your organization can benefit from this information. I assure you, the ideas and action steps you create out of this process will be of greater value than the minimal investment of a staff lunch.
Lunch and Learn discussion questions for 5 Questions a Buyer Must Answer Before They will Buy:
How are your marketing messages, products and employee/customer interaction developing trust in the buyer’s mind? What action steps can be taken to make improvements?
How do the employees who come in direct contact with potential buyers demonstrate they are more interested in the person than the wallet? What different marketing and sales approaches could employees try to elevate customer care?
Buyers are looking for an enjoyable transaction process. How can you increase buyer joy in every transaction? Hint: Attitude is more important than price.
I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company to pitch a project I wanted to do for them. In his spacious office John Wayne was everywhere: posters, autographed pictures, and even a life-sized cardboard cutout of the Duke himself standing in one corner of the office.
I commented on the memorabilia and he mentioned to me everyone who comes to his office wants to add to his collection, and the way he said it, I got the feeling his interest became more the passion of others with their gifts.
As I was leaving after my presentation I noticed one thing framed that had nothing to do with John Wayne. It was a certificate from Star Fleet Command. He was a closet Trekkie! When I asked about that particular framed certificate his eyes lit up and he told me all about his week at Star Trek camp! You never know do you?
In the thank you note to him for giving me his time I included two inexpensive items I found on ebay. One was a Star Trek communicator the actors would hit on their chest to communicate with others on board. The second was a red enamel Klingon war pin.
In the note I told him he could use these as indicators when he walked into meetings. If the communicator pin was on it was open communication. If he was wearing the Klingon war pin – the warrior was loose.