Have you ever walked into a store and been asked, “Can I help you find something?” The most popular answer to that question is, “No, I’m just looking.” People love buying; studies show that it actually releases an endorphin rush, but they hate being “sold.” The biggest missed opportunity for converting more prospective customers into happy customers is due to a lack of understanding of what’s going on in the prospective customer’s head. Let’s look at how to get into your customer’s head and help them achieve that endorphin rush that comes from buying from you.
Nothing beats improving sales like getting into the head of your customers.
The real WHO
In order for your message to really engage your target audience, your message has to be about the right who. Real engagement doesn’t automatically occur just because your message is in front of eyeballs. Real engagement begins with the right message. So, what is the right message?
Your prospective customers don’t want to hear about you, your business, or what you offer until they feel understood. You have to earn the right to educate your prospect about you and your business. You have to demonstrate that you understand them. This comes from ensuring that your message is about the right WHO. The right WHO isn’t you, it’s your customer.
Getting the real WHO right means making your message about your customer. A customer centric message is essential to keeping their attention long enough for them to develop an interest in how YOU can help them. This means you’ve got to have (or develop) an understanding of what your target customers are looking for.
What they’re looking for
The reality is that, contrary to what most business owners think, the customer isn’t really looking for what you offer. The customer is looking to buy, not the exact product or service that you offer, but instead the result that comes naturally from buying what you provide.
For example, the purchase of a hamburger at a fast food restaurant is much more about the fast service, convenience, price point, and/or hunger than it is about the actual product. The purchase of a steak at a fancy steak house is more about the experience and making your dinner companion feel special than it is about satisfying the need for food.
What are your customers looking for? Knowing what your customers are really seeking provides you with great insight into why they buy. This insight becomes a key part of your message.
What they really, really want
Most businesses owners tend to think of their product or service the end rather than the means. From a customer’s perspective, what you provide is a means to an end. What is the natural result, for the customer, of buying from you?
Making your message revolve around what your customer is looking for is very powerful. The difference between what they’re looking for and what they really, really want, may seem subtle; however, understanding this distinction can have a huge impact on your sales.
For example, in the fancy steak house example from above, what the customer is buying is a steak. What they’re looking for is the experience, and to make their companion feel special. What they really, really want is to score points with that companion. Understanding your customer’s real objective provides you with the ability to achieve a very precise message to market match.
The result of matching your message to your target market with such precision is that it’s almost like you’re inside their head. It’s as though you’re able to speak to that conversation that is going on in your customer’s heads. When you do this, the demand for what you provide increases, the response to your marketing increases, and the rate at which you’re converting prospects into satisfied clients increases.
