Here on the farm, we recently had a set of twins born to one of our cows. Before you say, isn’t that cool, I’ll let you in on a little secret.
Cows can’t count past one, as my farmer husband is fond of saying.
Mama cow was not having anything to do with this additional calf. We had to get the two of them together so the mama would bond with her little one.
We tried pushing and cajoling her.
She just stood there chewing her cud, happy as can be. I even gave her a rap on her backside. She gave me the stink eye.
Finally, my husband got some nice hay. Mama cow smelled it and said in effect, “Where do you want me to go?”
Easy peasy.
Believe it or not, marketing is a lot like that! It’s all about understanding customer motivation.
And that means telling the right story.
That’s not as easy as it sounds. As humans, we’re hardwired to talk about ourselves. In business, it looks like this:
How long you’ve been in business
The features of your product/service
Great customer service
These are all great points and a part of your story, but it’s not the story that motivates prospects to buy.
If you lead with your story, you’ll find you’re pushing and cajoling your customer to move, to make a decision. Or worse, they’ll plant their feet and say the five words we all hate, “Let me think about it.”
How can you avoid this?
Customer Motivation Means Focusing on the Customer’s Story
As odd as it sounds, prospects don’t want to hear about your business. They want to hear what your business can do for them. That’s why without exception, focus on two important aspects in the customer journey:
Her pain points
Her solution
That’s the customer’s story. Your job is to show her you not only understand her problem, but you also know how to fix it easily.
Let’s break it down.
First, you show that you understand the problem she has. Does she have a leaky faucet that just won’t stop dripping? How maddening is that? Identify with her frustration.
Second, how is your solution to the problem better than your competitor? Is it twice as powerful? Will she see results in a matter of minutes? If you’re a service business, is your service more comprehensive than your competitor? Give her a reason to stop and listen to what you have to offer her.
Third, make the solution easy. Show her how easy it is to solve her problem.
Fourth, show her that the product/service will make her life easier. That’s what she’s looking for.
Fifth, if you have a guarantee, strut it! Guarantees help reduce the fear of buying something new.
The bottom line—and the marketing point that most businesses miss—is this: It’s not about you. It’s about them.
When you step aside and place the focus on your customer—not your business--and how you are uniquely positioned to help them, you become a trusted advisor, a highly coveted position.
Not many businesses take this route which is why their marketing and advertising remains frustrating and challenging.
Choose to take the road less traveled. Show prospects you understand their problem and that you know how to solve it for them easily.
The more you focus on solving your customer’s problem, the less “selling” you’ll have to do. It’s so much easier to walk your customer to the checkout than it is prodding them.
Want to learn more about how to understand your customer’s buying signals? Set up a free 30-minute consult with me.
Comments