EM Superhero

All businesses, regardless of what product they sell or what service they offer, have one thing in common: customers.   In order to be successful – to generate a turnover, customers are essential – and yet so many businesses today still have not grasped the very important fact, that customers really are king.   Customer-centric businesses offering bespoke products or services are doing well in spite of the current economic trading conditions.  Consider Apple;  Consider Dell – they both ensure that their customers get exactly what they want, on time, and to the specified budget.

WHY? It’s simple – they have invested time in understanding and getting to know their customers inside out – back to front – there is no stone unturned.   In fact, they know their customers so well, that they are able to anticipate what they are going to want – and let’s face it, this is extremely powerful information.

OKAY – we are not large, global organisations with unlimited budgets – but there are lots of things we can do to ensure that we understand and get to know our customers.   It doesn’t matter how large or how small your business is.

We can talk to our customers.   One very simple question which can be asked is –“Why do you buy from us?”  Imagine the knowledge you will have with the answer to this simple question.  Decision-making in all areas of your business will be so much easier – your marketing planning – not simply the message, but also to whom.  For a start you will understand whether it is your products or services which are superior, perhaps your pricing is better, perhaps pricing is not even a factor – it is simply because they like doing business with you.   Whatever the answer to this simple question – you will have powerful information – peculiar to you and your business.

Of course, knowing something is all well and good – you need to take action and use the information you have to make a positive impact on your business.

If you are finding that you have to consistently find new customers for your business – you need to find out why you are not gaining repeat business.  If you don’t know whether your customers are new or not – you really ought to!   It is far more expensive to attract new customers than it is to sell to existing customers – so this information is vital for success.

I leave you with this final thought – Do you know the journey your customers need to take to do business with you?     You need to know whether working with your business is a walk in the park on a beautiful sunny day – where the sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky, the picnic is lovely and the children are not arguing (!) – or whether it is a hellish ride on the Northern Line tube in rush-hour.

Do you know?

If you don’t – you need to find out – and fast….