Do you know where your customers need help? It sounds like a simple question but I’m always surprised how often we, as marketing people, don’t really know. In another life, I managed salespeople. To test the quality of a forecast, I would ask the sales rep, “Why would they buy our product?” It wasn’t unusual to get a blank stare in return. I had banned the “Because they want it” answer. I wanted to know why they needed it.
In a recent post at M4BMarketing, How to Improve Your Key Communication Message, Susan Oakes counsels us to find out what is important to our customers. She says it’s “one of the key factors where many businesses still fall down. They assume they know without actually finding out.” Susan is right. While it may seem like a big mandate, one simple question will take you a long way to finding out the answer.
The Obvious Question
Yes, people buy things they want. But they don’t make investments in products or services just because they want them. They spend real money for things they need – things that will help them solve a problem or improve their business. Have you ever asked a prospect or client, “What problems do you face in your job?” I used to ask that question a lot. I always got the same answer. In many different variations, it boiled down to “Nothing”. I knew that wasn’t true, but people don’t like to reveal difficulties or weaknesses.
The Magic Question
But here’s the thing. People do like to speak about their work. They like to portray themselves in a positive light. How do you get people to tell you what they need? Tell you what pain they’re experiencing in their work? Tell you where they need help if they don’t want to tell you? Ask them what challenges them. A wonderfully simple question that produces magical results, “What are your challenges?”, will have your clients revealing their biggest problems and their most difficult goals. Once you know about their pain, it’s much easier to provide a solution.
The Takeaway
People are willing to tell you what they need as long as you’ve given them a safe way to start the discussion. When people are challenged, it means they’re in solution mode. They’re positioned as a problem-solver. They also speak more openly about their issues. If you’re asking about problems, they likely feel vulnerable or under attack. Ask one question “What are your challenges” and start taking notes. You’ll be amazed at how much people will tell you.
Do you have a sure-fire technique to get people talking?
*Image courtesy of Horia Varian at www.flickr.com
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