Everyone knows that a business can’t function without customers. It doesn’t matter if you have the greatest product, the slickest marketing strategies, and the most productive office.
If you don’t have customers, you don’t have a business. It’s a simple as that. This makes it all the more bizarre that so few business owners take the time to ask one simple question.
“What do my customers really want?”
We look for ways in which we can connect to customers, market to them and draw them in. But if your business isn’t able to offer them what they want, then you’re just going to be wasting your efforts.
Here are some things that your customers might actually want from your business.
Choices
Nobody likes feeling as though they have no choice in a situation. It’s part of the reason the market can sustain quite as many businesses as it does.
People want to be able to choose for themselves; they don’t want to feel funneled into a decision. So why do businesses insist of offering so few options to their customers?
Oh certainly, you might have a variety of products at different levels but why stop there? 1 in 4 consumers expect retailers to offer financing options. You should make sure that your customers are constantly provided with the chance to pick the best options for them.
Personality
Customers don’t care about businesses. That’s something you need to come to terms with pretty quickly.
Businesses and corporations do not interest customers in the slightest. But what customers are interested in is people. People have stories to tell, they have emotions, it’s possible to relate to people.
You’ve got to be able to show the personality behind your business. If your business is nothing but a well-oiled machine, then that might be impressive to investors, but customers aren’t going to find anything to connect with.
Let them see the people behind the company, tell them your story, connect with them on a human level and you’ll find that they will be much more interested in the things you have to offer.
Loyalty
Every business knows how important it is to create a sense of loyalty from their customers. Without loyalty, you get no returning customers, and eventually, your business ceases to be viable. This is obvious stuff that every new business owner should be aware of. But what many business owners, even experienced ones, forget is that loyalty is a two-way street.
Customers want to feel cared for. They want to feel as though the loyalty that they show to you and your business is being repaid in kind. This could be something as simple as rewarding their loyalty with discounts, offers, and other things.
Making them feel valued and recognized as someone who has shown an interest in your business is a fantastic way to really make a customer connect with your business.
As the old saying goes, be good to your customers, and they’ll be good to you.
Sarmista says
December 5, 2016 at 10:26 amUnderstanding your audience and market is the first step to know what your customers really want.
Erik Emanuelli says
December 5, 2016 at 10:35 amThat’s the first and most important thing, Sarmista.
Amar kumar says
December 5, 2016 at 12:31 pmHey Erik,
Now-a-days, customer become very conscious about strategies of business so we cannot make them fool. Loyalty really plays significant role in term of business. We can get success in our business when we successful in winning the emotion of our customer. Eventually, thanks for sharing your experience with us.
With best wishes,
Amar kumar
Erik Emanuelli says
December 5, 2016 at 2:33 pmYou mentioned a nice point, Amar.
Yes, if you are able to touch the heart of your customer, then you have a loyal fan for life.
Thanks for sharing!
Ravi Chahar says
December 6, 2016 at 9:33 amHey Erik,
It’s important to understand what your customers want. People should try to fulfill the needs. But it can only be done if the loyalty is promised.
You customers are interested in you, not in your company. The service you provide should match the expectations of your customer.
Great post indeed.
~Ravi
Erik Emanuelli says
December 8, 2016 at 1:52 pmThat’s right, Ravi.
Thanks for sharing your views here.
Elvis Michael says
December 7, 2016 at 5:55 amThis got me thinking about business psychology in general, and there’s simply so much to “toy with” until your particular business thrives.
When it comes to choices, for example, using several is always a good idea but (in some cases) providing too many may overwhelm the prospect.
Personality, however, is something more constant and it rarely changes. As you pointed out in the article, it’s highly relevant regardless of the business you run because customers care about the people behind it. This might explain why I see more and more ad copies relying on light humor; it gives more personality than a boring, cut-and-dry copy.
Thanks for the article as usual, Erik 🙂
Erik Emanuelli says
December 8, 2016 at 1:54 pmThanks for your detailed analysis, Elvis.
Glad you checked the post and decided to leave your views.
Sathish Arumugam says
December 21, 2016 at 6:13 pmThinking on customer perspective and understanding the audience mindset is a first and essential step that every business man need to know. Nowadays customer also aware of all the business strategies so before they inquiry anything they have undoubtedly known about that, and then they come to us, so we cannot fool them. So always we need to be loyal then only we can play a significant role in our business. Thanks for sharing this piece of content
Erik Emanuelli says
December 22, 2016 at 9:39 amThat’s right, Sathish.