Know What Keeps Your Customers Awake at Night

One of the most important steps you need to take in your business in order to fully serve your market is knowing your customers problems, concerns and worries. You must be able to answer this question, “What keeps my customers awake at night?”

In addition, you must understand their dreams and goals. Knowing what worries your customers is essential in providing them with solutions. What are their most challenging problems? What drives them? What are their dreams and goals? And most important, what keeps them awake at night?

A great way to find out is to have them complete an in-depth questionnaire that allows you to more fully understand their goals, dreams, current position, and challenges. This information puts you in a much better position to help them gain the success they desire. It also helps you disqualify those individuals who are not a good fit for your high-end programs.

Why in the world would you want to disqualify someone? It’s simple; the better match someone is for what you have to offer, the better you can actually serve them.

Pay attention as well to what your customers have very little interest in. A few years ago I was in search of a very specific type of car. I wanted a Cadillac CTS. At that time I was not planning on buying a new one; I wanted one only a few years old and in great shape. Once the search began, I quickly realized that many salespeople do not listen to what a customer wants. Regardless of how clear I made it that I wanted a CTS, each salesperson attempted to sell me something else.

I recall one gentleman who said he was very certain he could find the car I was looking for. I was ecstatic when he called me to say, “I found a perfect car for you.” I asked what color the CTS was and he said, “Oh, it’s not a CTS, but I know you will love it.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He completely ignored my wishes and tried to convince me I wanted something else. Needless to say I didn’t buy my CTS from this man.

After owning my first CTS for six years, I was ready to get a newer model and decided this time it would be brand new. There was a marked difference in my experience. The sales professional I decided on focused on what I was most interested in about the car rather than showing me features that were not at the top of my list. When I drove away in my new car, I felt like a million bucks. I had been validated in my desires and not those of the salesperson.

When you pay attention to your customers’ needs and desires you assure greater business success.