A common obstacle for business owners and salespersons is their preconceived ideas about what customers and prospective customers “should” do, including what the business owner or salesperson would do.
We need to remind ourselves that we are not our customers. Our business is to find out what THEY want and help them get it.
Obviously we don’t want to provide goods or services that are illegal or immoral. We aren’t drug pushers and pimps, and that’s not necessary to be successful in business.
What if a customer wants a Bentley or a Lamborghini? Personally, we might think a Toyota Corolla is fine as transportation and luxury automobiles are an unnecessary extravagance. For very affluent individuals, luxury automobiles are necessary status symbols that satisfy their desires for performance, style and comfort.
If you can’t adjust your attitude to understand the viewpoint of your customer, you should seek a different line of business, because it’s hard to sell much of what you don’t believe in.
Let’s say you operate a grocery store. Organic vegetables and pasture-raised meats might seem like unnecessary extravagances to you. Maybe you hate broccoli and brussel sprouts. You love tortilla chips and salsa. Right now, there is a movement to plant-based diets and unprocessed foods.
If you don’t offer the items your customers want, they will go down the street to find a grocery store that does. And you might lose ALL of their business.
What about you and your business?
Are you missing opportunities because you don’t really know what your customers want or need?
Are you avoiding things your customers want because those items aren’t what you want or are interested in?
Would you like some fresh eyes and ears for your business practices? If yes, send me an email at mgray@profitadvisors.com for a preliminary discussion about how we might work together to help you build a better business.