Ask Your Customers for What they Want
There’s no doubt you are the expert on your business, but it’s possible your customers could be smarter than you are. When it comes to offering what your customers want, why not ask them? One of the unexpected ways to increase sales is to check in with your customers and see what they are looking for.
Are You Projecting Your Thoughts?
Many times, when we imagine having an experience or using a product, we imagine it through our unique perspective. We attach our thoughts and feelings about something’s worth based on our needs and experiences. Your customers may have a radically different idea of what they want or need. Asking helps reduce the likelihood you’re projecting your ideas and truly meeting the needs of your customers. Market research can help narrow down what goods and services your customers want so you can serve them better and remove your personal bias.
Clever Ways to Discover What Customers Want
You can ask your customers what they’re after in a variety of ways. Consider these options:
- Create surveys – If you’re customers have a minute, ask them to complete a survey. You can use free online tools to create surveys with Google Forms, SurveyPlanet, or Survey Maker. Offer an incentive or freebie for their time.
- Engage customers face-to-face – If your business deals directly with customers, ask them what products they are looking for or what services they need. Engaging them directly will make them feel valued and appreciated. You can ask them at checkout or follow up with them after the sale.
- Use your email as a survey tool – Boost engagement and get feedback by asking your customers for their input via email. Add a link to a survey, create a digital suggestion box or encourage them to reply with their ideas directly.
- Review Feedback – From social media comments to Yelp and other reviews there’s a lot of feedback out there that indicates what your customers want. Routinely review comments and feedback and when possible, let your customers know any actions you plan to take to meet their expectations.
You Can’t Please Everyone
Asking your customers for what they want is valuable, but it may not always be on target. There are bound to be outliers and ideas that don’t mesh with your mission and vision for your business. Be sure to sift through the data and make sure the idea is right for your business before creating a product or implementing a new service.
Getting your customers in on product development could be an excellent way to make more sales and serve your audience. Make it a routine practice to poll your people and find out what they’re after.
This article is part 3 of a 5-part series called, Five Unexpected Ways to Make More Sales, you may also like to read:
- Part 1: Focus on Benefits vs Features
- Part 2: Increase Your Email Engagement
- Part 3: Ask Your Customers for What they Want
- Part 4: Stop Hiding! People Buy from People they Like – coming soon
- Part 5: Make Customer Engagement Your Top Priority – coming soon
We’d love to hear what email marketing tip you will implement first. Share in the comments below.
