by Lindsey Winsemius - Posted 9 years ago
The same difficulties apply: finding the right person,
taking the time to nurture a relationship, always looking your best, and always
putting them first.
Relationships can be tough. They require effort, time, and
money to maintain.
I’m not a love expert, but I can give you some relationship
advice.
Ever been on a date when the other person won’t stop talking
about themselves? Not only are they talking about themselves, they are
bragging. You learn things you don’t even care about in yourself- like what
their college GPA was, how fast they ran the 5k last summer, and how much money
their last ex made.
Boooring.
If you are bored hearing about a potential romantic’s partner’s achievements, what makes you think potential customers will want to hear constantly about your company? Don’t barrage your customers with constant self-promotional material. “We've just won the obscure award for great companies!” “We just published our 110th Website!” “Our products are superior to X, Y, and Z! Just ask our customers!”
When you are trying to build
a relationship with your customers, be sure to explain how your business is
going to benefit them. Why are you the best fit for their needs? Not because
you won some awards, but because your product has exactly what they are looking
for, and you won’t stop working until they are satisfied with it. Don’t brag
about your business; share your achievements but be sure to focus on your
customers.
Who are your typical customers? What do they look like
(mostly male, female, business owners, young adults?). Where do they live? What
do they do on the weekend? Learning your business "type" or audience will help to better connect with the right potential customers.
Have you ever gone on a blind date, and the moment you
arrive, you realize they are not your type at all? You're forced to sit through a tedious evening and an awkward parting, hoping they don't try to call you again.
You could have saved yourself the time had you learned a little more about the type of person you were meeting.
In the same way, if you sell to businesses in Dallas but
your Facebook page 'sponsored likes' are mostly from 13-year-olds in China, you
might be doing something wrong. Don’t spend a lot of time and money gaining an audience
that doesn't care about your business. Target your audience carefully, or you
are wasting time on a relationship that will go nowhere.
We've all heard the advice – keep communication open with
your partner. Effective communication is the key to a successful relationship.
How can you communicate effectively with your customers?
If your customers feel like you are really hearing them, and
care about their opinions, they will keep coming back to your business.
Science says it takes people an average of 3 months to
revert to their “natural” tendencies in a relationship. Basically, the
honeymoon is over and you get to see the true person.
It is always best just to be yourself in a relationship. The
same advice applies to business relationships. By over-promising on a deal or
just presenting yourself as larger or grander than you really are, you are
setting yourself up for failure. Most likely, the truth will eventually come
out and you will lose the trust of your customer. Once it’s gone, trust is very
difficult if not impossible to regain. Just ask Brian Williams.
On the flip side of over-selling yourself, you don’t want to
sell yourself short, either. Trust that you have a great product or service,
and it is worth what you are asking your customers to pay for it. Confidence in
your business and your product will go a long way in selling it.
Obviously, if you genuinely don’t believe your product is worth
the money you are charging, you might want to rethink your prices. But if you
know it is a great product, don’t be afraid to get excited about it.
Have you ever watched entrepreneurs on Shark Tank? The one
thing they share is passion for their idea. They've made it as far as they
have because they believe in themselves and in their product. Confidence is
attractive.
Part of building a relationship is sharing who you really
are. As a business, sharing your story (causes that matter, how you got
started, why you are passionate about your product) can go a long way in
winning over customers. Studies show that people are willing to pay more for a
product from a company that has ideals similar to their own. They do care about
the faces behind the brand. Part of successfully building a brand is
communicating what that brand stands for, beyond just a great product.
Tell your story in a creative (not boastful) way, and
customers will appreciate your openness.
Nobody wants to date someone who is only interested in their
looks. But we can’t deny that appearances matter, particularly on an initial
introduction. Some research suggests that we tend to be attracted to people who
look similar to us. Whatever the reason, part of the chemistry that creates a
successful relationship is tied to appearances.
In the same way, you need to have branding that appeals to your audience. From your website to product packaging, you are more likely to delight you customers with a beautiful appearance tailored to their tastes. Once you know your customer type, get to know what they like and create your branding accordingly.
Many customers make buying decisions for reasons they can't identify, but they are great at creating a rational explanation after the fact. Keep in mind that first impressions are crucial for making the right impression.
Consider the example below:
The story of two chickens
Research participants were showed two photos. One was a nice looking, plump chicken. The other was a chicken that looked thin and sickly. Participants were told that the plump chicken was a natural chicken, and the thin chicken was genetically engineered.
The researchers informed half of the participants that natural chickens were healthy but less tasty, and genetically engineered chickens were tasty, but less healthy. The other half were told the opposite.
Overwhelmingly, both halves of participants preferred the nice plump chicken, but their reasoning was different. The first group claimed it was because they valued health above taste, and the second group said it was because taste was more important.
Neither group seemed to justify their choice based on how they felt about the chicken’s looks. They felt compelled to justify their emotional choices with non-emotional reasons, to the point that the two groups found completely opposite ways to justify the same decision.
Emotions rule in all areas
The scientists replicated the results in other areas as well – in marketing, politics, religion and life in general.
There is a difference between pursuing someone and becoming
a stalker. Pursuing someone not interested in you? That is crossing the line,
and it tends to make people angry.
Don’t stalk your potential customers. This could be sending
unsolicited emails or not unsubscribing them after they've asked to be removed
from your mailing list. It could also mean being overly pushy trying to sell
your product, either while they are in your store, at trade shows, or other
events.
Avoid being bitter about “getting dumped”. Don’t write nasty
responses to bad reviews. Be polite to unhappy customers. You might turn the
relationship around. At the very least, you will look like the great company
you are by having a good attitude.