We asked management consultant and customer relations expert, Jeremy Moore, of HGM Marketing.
According to him, the answer (in a nutshell) is to recognise customers as individuals and treat each and every one as unique. He also gave this helpful advice:
- Gain trust – always focus on the people first, then the business problem in hand before you offer your product or service as the solution.
- Hold the sales pitch – you may be great at what you do but rattling off your star qualities before your customer has had time to blink will put people off.
- Listen carefully - it’s not as simple as ‘they need what you have’. Different customers have different needs. Understanding these needs is the platform from which you can build good, solid relationships.
- Invest time - you have to begin with a series of conversations and get to a level where you can both talk honestly and freely with each other.
- Work together - when you reach the stage above you can visualise, together, how your product or service will help them achieve their business objectives.
- Remember, it’s not about you - it’s all about your customers. It’s not about your competence; it’s about your approach. Until you really get to know your customers and learn what they want and need you have nothing to sell them.
- Encourage referrals – happy clients are often more than happy to recommend you to others and these testimonials and referrals are your ticket to attaining more business.
In a snapshot, it’s all about:
- Having business conversations vs delivering a competence pitch
- Asking good questions vs giving your views and opinions
- Talking with decision makers vs talking with users
- Showing how your services can be applied vs spouting off the features and benefits
- Being in a position to empower buying vs plain old selling
At redline™ we’re always on the hunt for good advice. Tell us what works for you in terms of getting new business and keeping your customers happy.
Over the coming weeks we’ll be posting some interesting blogs, including some specific to the business-to-business market. Make sure you don’t miss them - sign up for email alerts!
