The art of marketing is the never-ending challenge to answer this question: What emotional needs do my customers have that my business could fulfill? To help you find the answer, we suggest that you start by collecting information on your customers through a variety of techniques, including conducting customer sur...
Business has changed. Excellent customer service is no longer enough on its own to separate you from your competition. Whether you want to grow or just maintain your business, start with the assumption that all your competitors are already providing the same high-level of service as you are (in addition to offeri...
The importance of understanding gratification mode and purchase preference
Creating a positive customer experience involves more than just delivering your product and service "on time, exactly as promised." At every point of contact with your customers — at every "touch point" — your business must be engineered to create positive associations and expectations of gratification. Indeed, th...
A client of ours named John owns a chimney-sweeping business. His customers love him and the great service he provides, but the nature of the business is seasonal and his customers only call him once each year, usually at the beginning of winter.
Your best customers are those who love doing business with you, and can't say enough good things about you. EMyth defines these customers as your "advocates." Looking at your overall sales strategy, are you remembering to leverage these precious resources? If not, why?
It never ceases to amaze me how little business owners know about their customers. Sure, formal market research may be expensive and out of reach, but there are many ways a business owner can get close to their customers.
You have a business. It’s humming. Your employees are laboring away diligently.
Most business owners would agree that maintaining or increasing sales is a vital need for their business. It's a common misconception, but many businesses tend to think of increasing sales only when things get slow. There are, however, many other reasons to increase revenue aside from simply compensating for a slu...
Without customers, you don’t have a business. And unless you're offering something that the general public has never seen or heard of before, like a self-driving car for instance, chances are that many other businesses are offering products and services similar to yours.
Think about your own responses to the advertising and promotions you receive. Much of it probably goes right past you, deflected instinctively and even unconsciously by your Ad Filtering System. Yet some messages resonate with you. They connect somehow, in ways that you're not even aware of, and you respond to the...
What’s more important to you? A one-time purchase, or a customer with a long-term relationship with your business? Customers-for-life is the strategy and the hope behind all great brands.
You love a good conversation—where both participants care what the other has to say, demonstrate interest, listen, and respond appropriately. A good conversation allows both parties to reveal themselves, uncover what is important from their perspective and shared values. A good conversation offers an opportunity t...
Almost every business owner wants more leads for their business. In fact, for many owners the need for a constant inflow of qualified leads often dominates their thinking. There are, however, many challenges to ensuring and maintaining that supply. And, in addition to the needs of today, growth objectives and prof...
We continue our podcast series with exit planning expert and author, John Warrillow whose book Built to Sell, outlines the eight steps he says are critical to creating a sellable business.
There are a lot of things marketing automation software can do for you. It can help you increase traffic, educate and inspire potential customers, and give you a microscopic view of what happens at every step of your buyer’s journey. But like all good things, it’s not quite that simple. It takes a real investment ...
It’s never been easier to chase after the wrong customers. With the explosion of online marketing tools, you and your team can spend all day (and all night) doing it. Which is why it’s never been more important that you have something—or more specifically, someone—to guide you. The challenge for today’s business o...