Can We Talk About Customers?

In thirty minutes, I heard 24 business owners tell me the very essence of their business and not a one of them mentioned customers.  It was bizarre.  There's an extremely valuable lesson here for all of us and I hope you use it and increase your business.

Our Rotary Club of 135 community leaders came up with the idea of using the 30 minutes of program time this week to feature members and an "infomercial" about their business.  Each person drew out of a hat numbers for two table assignments.  All tables seat 8.  Go to the first table with your best smile and information about your business.  When the bell rings, the person next to you talks for 90 minutes about his business.  The bell rings again and then it's your turn.  The bell rings and then you stop and the person on the other side of you starts to do their "infomercial" for their business.

When everyone had their 90 minutes, the bell rang again and you moved to your next table assignment and did that Around The Table Elevator Pitch again. Here's the show stopper. Everyone knew a week in advance about this opportunity.  Do you think anyone bothered to prepare materials or something to handout during their presentation?

Only one person at the table had stuff. It was me. It is the best stuff I have to give away--the Duct Tape Marketing instant presentation package on the 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success.

I didn't talk about my business, me or my handouts.  I talked about customers.  In my 90 seconds I asked everyone who had all the customers they needed to please stand.  No one moved. That fooled me.  These are all successful people who got to where they are by serving customers well.  I ask them if they have customers who come to them for business advice.  All nodded yes. I handed them all the free booklet and free CD and simply asked if they thought they would spend another 30 minutes all week long to attract more customers and keep them interested in doing business. 

If you have all the customers you can handle, I cautioned, be a hero and give this information to someone who is not doing as well as you are.   Nobody left the Duct Tape Marketing information at the table.  I didn't talk about "my stuff;" rather, we stayed focused on the customers and ways we have thrilled them.  I talked about results that customers experience with us. When you get that opportunity to wow someone about the great results you have achieved for your customers, do you talk about them or you? Oh gee, I hope it's not "all about me."

The days of simple selling are over, and just being aggressive in the marketplace isn't enough to win in business anymore. In today's crowded marketplace, you've got to find new ways to break through the clutter and connect with your prospects. Monopolize Your Marketplace provides that piece of great advice and brings you the New Rules of Marketing.

The lesson is this:  Can we talk about customers? When there was a break in the 90-second presentation, I asked, "Who is a good customer for what you just told us?"  They all had their chance to say, "What about you?" and blew it.  Sometimes you can plop a customer right in front of someone and they are so busy focusing on their stuff they can't bring themselves around to ask someone to be their customer.  Do you know what they all said?  "Why, everyone can use what I have." 

That just screams to me: You don't know your customer.  You don't know a good customer from a marginal customer.  You don't know what differentiates you from hundreds that do what you do.   If you try to please everyone, you become a commodity and that leaves you to play the price game.  You never ... not ever, want to be in that position because you are at the mercy of your stupidest competitor that doesn't know how to charge enough to even cover costs.

The other lesson is this:  When a prospective customer is sitting across from you, ready to give your 90 seconds of uninterrupted time, don't talk about your stuff.  Tell them the story of how your service and products produced great results (be specific) for someone so much like them it could be their twin.

Comments

[Nick Taylor]

Dear Georgia

Your talk on the lack of focus of organisations on customers was wonderul to read. I am a 23 year old marketing graduate and while I am only young in my 2 years in the work force and having just started my second job, it is clear to me that this problem is prevelent in most businesses.

In a University I worked for where students provide the majority of funding, almost all of my colleauges never think about our core business and providing education for them, they were seen as a problem.

My new organisation now has the issues of seeing their product as the solution to everyones problems and not realsing their own limitations.

They say the world is becoming increasingly 'customercentric' when are businesses oging to catch up?