Put your customer before your business.
That statement might have gotten two reactions:
- “What, what?!”
- Or, “Duh.”
I get both sides.
If this is an uncomfortable concept for you, it’s worth a gut check.
Maybe the idea of putting your customer before your business is threatening in some ways. I get it. If you give, give, give, when will you get? How can you be profitable so that your business doesn’t turn into a hobby you’ll end up resenting?
Here’s a not so big secret: Customers are drawn to value over anything else.
It might be apparent to you how valuable your products or services are, but simply listing them or talking all about your accolades making you the most qualified to do business with isn’t enough.
They need to know specifically how your product/service will make thier life better.
What could happen if they do become your customer? Good things!
What could happen if they don’t? Sucky things.
When you know your audience’s pleasure points (the good things they want) and pain points (they sucky things they want to avoid), you can talk specifically about how your product or service can help them.
But maybe you’ve never thought specifically about your audience’s pain or pleasure points.
An easy way to decipher this is to pull out a piece of paper and start brainstorming with yoru team and even long-term customers. Make two columns: What keeps them up at night (pain points) what they can’t live without (pleasure points).
As you’re creating the list, think in terms of what your customer might google in relation to either column and what you offer. This tactic will ensure your list is as specific as possible.
If this is a known concept for you, are you doing it right?
Take a look at yoru website. Do alot of your sentences start with “we” this or “we” that? Your customers don’t care. They only care about you you can help them. Rearrange your verbiage to speak to them and what they stand to gain or lose with or without you.
Try to focus less on what they get and more on the big picture value.
A lot of times this just takes some simple reframing of page titles and call-to-actions, but if your website has been around for a while, it might be time to rework your messaging all together.
Now for a little bonus value.
You read earlier that customers are drawn to value over anything else. You can take that knowledge one step further and offer valuable bits of information before your customers ever spend a penny with you. This builds trust and loyalty when repeated.
This can take the shape of a free e-book, download, program, guide, planner, calculator… the options are endless! This free value can be sent to your email list of warm leads (people who already know you and have taken action to receive your emails), or even in the form of a lead magnet for cold leads on social media through targeted ads to just the right type of customer.
Above all else, if you position yourself as the guide to a better life – you will win customers time and time again.
