You may have heard the saying that a customer who buys a drill from you isn't actually buying a drill, they're buying a hole. They don't need a drill, they need what a drill provides, which, of course, is a hole. This is equally true for your business regardless of what you believe you are selling. And when it comes to effective and successful lead conversion recognizing this distinction can make all the difference in the world.
Do you know what it is that your customers or clients are really buying? Have you ever thought about the buying process from the viewpoint of your customers? Many of us are familiar with the experience of shopping for a new car: despite all the features and benefits touted by the brochures and the sales person, what we really care about is how a particular car is going to make us feel. What we are really buying is comfort, reliability, and a sense of style perhaps, maybe even a feeling of prestige.
A great question to ask every day is: "What have I done today to create a customer?" In that spirit, here are some ideas we've come across:
Knowing what you are really selling can shape not only your lead conversion message and approach, but possibly your entire marketing strategy and tactics. The words you or your sales staff use to facilitate the purchase process should be crafted around the understanding of what it is that is being sold.
For example one of our Mastery Impact! clients, a plumber, used information about customer perceptions and behavior from our Marketing processes and came up with a turn-key system to use specific words and language with each unique prospective client during the lead conversion process.
Here's what he did. He carefully considered information about his prospects' Gratification Mode (the way your ideal customers get gratification in their lives) and their Purchase Preference (the dominant reason why customers buy and how they justify the purchases they make). He came up with a list of words and phrases tailored for those particular individuals. Before he headed to a prospect's home to bid on a job, he had his office staff create a profile of the customer including which words to use with that potential client. Throughout his conversation with the prospect and his lead conversion presentation he would use those key words and phrases. This was especially effective during the initial engagement phase with the prospective client. It was simple, slick and worked like gangbusters.
Another aspect of this approach is to emphasize the benefits for the customer from the customer's perspective. Too often, the typical sales approach is to focus on features, price, on how we are better than the competition, and so on. Too much talk about we, us, and ours. Customers, as much as we hate to admit it, don't care all that much about us - what they really care about are themselves! Consequently, we need to also. Our lead conversion presentation should be customer-focused: not focused on our business nor our product or service. That means really knowing your customers - knowing them as people and fellow human beings - not just faceless, generic "customers."
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit through a sales presentation by a seasoned life insurance representative. Nice guy, very polite and relaxed. I noticed about half-way through his talk that he had said very little about me or my fears, needs or desires. But I did learn a great deal about his venerable and financially secure insurance firm, and the prices and features of more policy plans than I cared to know about. Nice guy, but I didn't buy anything that evening. The question you need to ask yourself is this: how likely would you be to buy from your own company?
Starbucks doesn't sell coffee drinks. McDonald's doesn't sell hamburgers. Bob's Backyard BBQs doesn't sell barbecues. In a variety of ways they are all selling an experience. So take some time to think about what it is that you are selling? Do you really know? Does your sales staff know?
Post a comment and tell us about your experiences improving your lead conversion process.
Louise C. says:
We had a pretty serious issue recently with a large order that caused us to stop and rethink our whole process. When we met as a team to discuss it, we took a step back, took off our business hats and tried to approach it from the perspective of our customer. It really opened our eyes to the gaps in the way we were doing things.
Since then, we've made some adjustments to the order fulfillment process that have really helped get us closer to where our customers' need us to be. It isn't perfect, but we're getting better...
Submitted Apr 23, 2009 9:20 AM
iyiola o. says:
I am currently working with my entire team to create an excellent customer experience at each of our training programmes. And this article just added a big insight into the process we are putting in place.
Submitted Apr 23, 2009 2:25 PM
Bradley R. says:
I just love the E-Myth's client approach to work! I'm writing an executive training course on today's managers and using the client approach - not the product approach - to guide and define the competencies managers will develop. The client (eg. customer, staff member, stakeholder, etc) will be asked what they value about our managers and what they need from them; in turn, this will shape the services the manager provides.
The client approach is truly universal in its application to what we do and how we do it. Our organisation will continue to use it to shape our service - and, just by the way, bring fulfilment and success! Thanks!
Bradley R
National Coordinator
Professional and Self Development
Canberra, Australia
Submitted Apr 23, 2009 4:02 PM
Lou A. says:
Fantastic, logical and ever so important "basics" which hits it right on the head every time.
All too often perspectives are misplaced amongst the complexities of modern day business and lifestyles.
I really appreciate the way in which E-Myth clears the way and brings to the surface everything which is relavant, easy to understand and which makes such a positive impact on our business.
Lou Armstrong
Design-Copy-Print
Gold Coast, Australia.
Submitted Apr 23, 2009 10:54 PM
garry h. says:
what type of words do they use? or phrases
Submitted Apr 23, 2009 11:51 PM
kingsley g. says:
Am always impressed by your deft approach to issues. Hey, you've got me thinking. I will share it with my pals, it could be the missing link.Refreshing indeed.
Submitted Apr 24, 2009 12:35 AM
E-Myth Business Coach says:
In response to Garry H:
The key words were unique to his audience and their psychographics. This client's target market was an affluent neighborhood of working families. They wanted reliable, dependable, and efficient service that went above and beyond just fixing the issue at hand. The words and phrases he used reflected their needs and wants, such as ...energy efficient, managed maintenance program, and long-term reliability.
When you do your own research, be sure to pay attention to the words that keep coming up again and again in client and prospect coversations.
Submitted Apr 27, 2009 11:29 AM
Vi W. says:
Great ideas. Keep 'em coming. :)
Vi Wickam
On-Site Computer Solutions
http://www.424help.com
Submitted May 2, 2009 9:04 PM
Rob E. says:
Listening is the key to sales, most clients will tell you what it is they are looking for in your product- reliability(won't break down), cost(value for money), over coming a problem(to resolve a flaw they have without your product... the words I find help me probe which product they are looking for are, how does that make you feel? will this resolve all the requirements you have... the words I use to close a sale are, so you think this product x will make your life/business/home run smoother/better/efficently...your saying our product will give you peace of mind/ satisfaction/ overcome the problem, their point of view is the only valid reason to sell anything... if they don't need it and you push the sale you are breaking the link of customer to client..your future business depends on their perspective...
Rob Everson
Submitted May 26, 2009 12:14 AM
You've read about the best way to turn your prospects into customers, now do something about it.
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