| Research. Some of us hate doing it, others find it | | | | who provide solutions and those who come to us |
| absolutely crucial. Researching your customer can | | | | for their problem to be solved. It's important for |
| make an absolute difference to your sales and | | | | us to provide proper and effective solutions that |
| most importantly, your bottom line. What I mean | | | | really help with our typical customers' issues. |
| by research is simply learning and finding out more | | | | Maybe your product or service helps solve one of |
| about your customer, before you actually meet | | | | them or many of them. Maybe you have multiple |
| them. Before you actually meet them as in, "How | | | | products or services which alleviate quite a few |
| should I be prepared when faced with this certain | | | | different problems. The key is, if you can solve a |
| customer?" | | | | problem that many people face and do it in a |
| We all have different things we sell and do. In | | | | way that is 1) valuable to them 2) gets them |
| each market, there are different customers and | | | | excited and happy and 3) makes them come |
| people purchasing a particular product or service. | | | | back again and again, you've successfully fixed |
| Sadly, there is no "one size fits all" solution. Since | | | | their problem. |
| all our customers are different in what they want, | | | | Not all problems can be fully solved but a proper |
| what they do, and what they have, we must | | | | solution can make a ton of difference. And when |
| provide solutions that best fit their specific needs | | | | you know exactly what problem and issues |
| and wants. If we can do that, we can sell them | | | | people are facing, you can position your product |
| what we have much more effectively and then | | | | or service as the premier solution. |
| go on to do repeat business. | | | | There's an interesting psychological aspect to this |
| This means doing the proper research ahead of | | | | as well. Back in the days of cavemen and |
| time to figure out our ideal customer, and then | | | | women, we were in a constant need to survive. |
| being prepared when the situation presents itself. | | | | Because of a natural survival instinct, it required |
| We all have cases at some point in time where | | | | that when a survival solution so good presented |
| we think we know our customer. We never do - | | | | itself, while exposing our core problem, we had to |
| there are going to be times when they totally | | | | take it. This same survival instinct is inside us |
| surprise you. And there will definitely be times | | | | today. By understanding this we realize how very |
| where stubbornness on your part loses you a | | | | important it is that we truly know our customers' |
| sale. | | | | main problems. Being prepared and doing the |
| Researching your customer and being prepared | | | | proper research will allow us to make the sale |
| really isn't a hard thing to do. It takes a little bit of | | | | much more effectively. |
| time but I guarantee if you know your customer | | | | What is their core desire? |
| going into every interaction, you're going to make | | | | There are things we need and then things that |
| a lot more money in the long term. | | | | we desire. Targeting desire is what leads to action. |
| All it requires is you asking the right questions and | | | | If your customer is not taking action by |
| getting them answered. Here's a few to get you | | | | purchasing your product or service, you waste all |
| started: | | | | your hard work and effort and end up frustrated. |
| Who are they? | | | | Finding the answer to this question means asking |
| The first step in finding out more about your | | | | the first two questions and then digging just a |
| customer is getting detail information as to who | | | | little bit deeper. Ok, so you found out their |
| they are. Are they young, old, make a certain | | | | problem was say, "I'm not making enough |
| amount of money, do this, do that, have kids, are | | | | money", an extremely common problem for a lot |
| single, in a relationship, are married, and the list | | | | of people. You're selling an online course that |
| goes on. This is very important because it all | | | | teaches how to make more money and do it all |
| comes down to targeting the right people and | | | | on the internet. |
| matching them to your products or services. | | | | That's a good start but not good enough. The |
| For example, if you know a thing or two about | | | | majority of people who want to make money |
| business online, it's that you must have traffic in | | | | don't do so just to pile up stacks of money. They |
| order to sustain and grow your business. And | | | | have these common desires: freedom to do what |
| there is a big difference between good traffic and | | | | they want when they want, more time to relax, |
| bad traffic. You can have a million people hit your | | | | spend more time with their family, have the ability |
| website but if none of them are targeted | | | | to purchase what they want, and a heck of a lot |
| (interested), it doesn't matter because they won't | | | | more. |
| buy. However, when you have targeted website | | | | The lesson here is you are always going to have |
| traffic (people that have an interest in what you | | | | a better chance of making a sale when you |
| are providing), you will get many more sales. | | | | target your customer's desire, what they truly |
| This same methodology applies to knowing who | | | | want, not just what they "think" they want. |
| your customer is. It's like selling a car to a man | | | | Making money is just a byproduct of their main |
| who doesn't know how to drive or a credit card | | | | desires. What they truly want are all these other |
| monitoring and protection service to a lady who | | | | things. |
| has never had a credit card. It just doesn't make | | | | So let's recap... |
| sense! | | | | Research is very important and being prepared |
| So know who your customer is. There are many | | | | will allow you make a lot more sales. Three |
| things you can find out about them and the more | | | | questions you must always ask before you |
| you learn and understand, the better prepared | | | | provide a solution, your product or service, are: |
| you will be. | | | | Who are they? |
| What is their problem? | | | | What is their problem? |
| This could also be stated as "What are they | | | | What is their desire? |
| struggling with?" but it's pretty much the same | | | | After you have successfully answered these, it's |
| thing. All of us have issues or problems with | | | | you are ready to focus on the next steps in the |
| something. It could be not having enough time to | | | | sales process such as how to provide your |
| relax, not making enough money, not having the | | | | solution to them in the best way possible based |
| best relationship, or even feeling like we don't look | | | | on what you learned and in a way that will clearly |
| the way we would like. | | | | get them to understand the benefits from doing |
| No matter what, we will always have some sort | | | | business with you. |
| of problem. That's why there are those of us | | | | |