A major component that seems to be missing in many marketing efforts from one company to another is the fact that oftentimes the focus is geared strongly toward making the sale and not much, if any, consideration is given to what the client really needs.
Do you take the time to really listen to your clients and determine if and how what you are selling will actually meet their needs, immediate and future? Or are you so anxious to close the sale that you rush through the sales pitch and keep your fingers crossed that the client will say yes, not concerning yourself with the client’s real needs at all?
Hopefully, this article will make you stop and realize the importance of gaining perspective of your client’s business needs through his eyes.
By sitting down with your client one-on-one, you embark upon a great learning opportunity. By paying careful attention to your client and by really taking the time to hear him out, you will obtain a wealth of information about your client and his company.
You will also perceive a good indication of his needs and a general idea of what direction he is taking in his overall business travels. Your advantage over your client at this juncture is that you know what you are selling.
Your mission is to determine how what you have to offer can help him on his road to success. Should you choose to accept this mission, then you must be prepared to infuse yourself into your client’s mind and take a look at his vision through his eyes. Only then will you truly understand how to market to him.
Take notes! What products and services does your client offer? Who is his target audience? What current marketing strategies are being implemented and are they achieving profitable results? Where does your client see himself in the next 2, 5, 10, and 20 years? What are your client’s goals for his future? Now, take a long look at your client’s answers. Focus on what he sees.
Your next step will be to determine what products and services you offer that can best meet his needs during the course of his journey. It does not matter what you are marketing . . . business cards, brochures, widgets,
the greatest marketing guide was ever written, website design, promotional coffee mugs, graphic design, telephone answering services, etc. You should concentrate on three questions:
Can he use what I am selling?
How will he benefit from what I am selling?
How can I convince him to buy from me?
All of this is accomplished by envisioning his real needs in relation to your products and services.
The same basic concept can be practiced when marketing from business to individual. For example, if you sell vitamin and herb supplements, you can follow the same principles of getting to know your prospects and existing clients.
Talk to them one-on-one and discover what their needs are. What health issues are they concerned about? What products can you recommend that will meet their needs? How can you convince them to buy from you? What type of educational forum can you establish to meet their ongoing needs?
Base your own goals around meeting those of your clients. By making their visions a reality, your own goals will take shape and your client relationships will bloom into mutual success stories!
