Are you thinking like your customer? -by Keri Murphy

Whether you are a new entrepreneur, a well-established business owner or you’re just getting off the ground; one important factor in the success and growth of your business is attracting customers to your product or service. Without new customers and clients you will be hard pressed to see growth. Learning to “think like your customer” and understanding what makes them “tick” will help you to attract quality customers that will stay with you forever (or at least spread the good word.)

Implement these 5 ways to acquire and retain the customers you want.

1. Become Involved

We all want to feel important and cared for…and so do your customers and clients. According to Businesspundit.com, “Customers want to feel like you care about their needs and that you are emotionally invested in helping them solve their problems. It’s a little easier to convey this message in a brick and mortar setting, but online survey software can let your e-commerce customers know that you are completely involved in meeting their needs, too.”

Let’s face it, no one like being “sold” to but we all have problems that need solutions. Gone are the “must BUY NOW!” days, people want authenticity and can smell a scam in an instant!

Doesn’t it feel better when you are approached or helped by someone who is genuine and you see that they want their product or service to make a difference in your life? That is where people buy, not when a product or service is being pushed on them.

Online survey tools are a great to use to send polls, questionnaires and surveys to gain customer feedback and market research. Go straight to the source to get the answers you seek.

2. Express Yourself

What shared values do you have with your ideal customer? Research shows that customers do not fall in love with companies or products; instead, they become hooked by brands that they connect with. Many companies believe that simple interactions are enough, but that is not the case. Harvard Business Review published a study stating, “Shared values build relationships.” A shared value is a belief that both the brand and consumer have.

A well-crafted brand and message tells a unique and compelling story that resonates with like-minded consumers. Establishing your unique message is expressing to the consumer why you exist, what you do and what your values are. Create a brand and message that you can be proud of and you will see that you will attract loyal customers that feel the same.

3. Share experience

The more time you spend getting to know your customers wants, needs, desires and how your product or service can be beneficial to them, the better your business-customer relationship will be.

In the digital age, there are so many more ways to engage your customers. This can be either a great tool or a missed opportunity. An IBM executive report says, “Companies need to embrace this shift with new strategy- which recognizes that instead of managing customers, the role of business is to facilitate collaborative experiences and dialogue that customers value.”

This simply means that business owners should start to engage their customers where they are, not where you want them to be. Learning how and where your future and current customers share information, news and recommendations can help you map out a strategy that meets them conveniently where they are.

4. Consciously Strive to be Better Each Day

No business is perfect and customers don’t expect that. However they do want to see changes made in the right direction. The 2012 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer has shown that companies are more often failing to live up to customer service expectations. Also, in a study conducted by SCORE, 9 out of 10 Americans say companies failed to exceed their service expectations.

As a business owner, making daily efforts to improve service can go a long way in finding and retaining customers. Start by creating a survey that can be given to customers immediately after a sale, while it’s still fresh in their minds. Executing a survey will show them that you care about their expectations and will also show you where to start making improvements.

5. Go out of your way

Think of the last time someone went of out his or her way to make your day a little easier or a little better. Didn’t that make you feel valued? That is exactly how your customer feels when they know you have taken the extra time to understand their needs and meet them. It is a simple gesture that can make a huge difference.

Learning what customers really think about your business practices and what drives your customer to purchase can mean the difference between a sustainable, profitable business and one that can’t seem to retain it’s clientele.

Implement these 5 changes to start growing your business today.

Shine ON!!

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Keri Murphy and the Inspired Living team is on a mission to empower people to use their unique talents in a way that allows them to Dream, Live and BE all that is possible through speaking, coaching, celebrity interviews and original on-line content. Get Inspired at inspiredliving.tv