No one in business wants to scare their customers away, right? But, what if I told you that you might be doing so for a while now without realizing it, pretty shocking!
Unfortunately, many businesses are using outdated techniques that are costing them money, without realising it. In this 4-5 minute article, you will learn about some of the practices your customers hate.
1-Jargon, a lot of it.
Maria, owner of a local bakery called “Stellar Sweets”, contacted two advertising agencies to help her develop her business. The first agency replied as follows:
– “We are a marketing agency. We do advertising. We will make sure that you can increase your sales significantly and steadily.”
The second agency, on the other hand, responded with the following message:
– “We are a B2B agency. We promote your offer to a qualified target market. Using a full funnel strategy, we work to optimise your USP to attract MQLs and turn them into acquired opportunities.”
Which do you think is more likely to get Maria’s attention – the second arrogant, know-it-all agency or the first clear and easy to understand agency?
I bet you’ll choose the former, unless you also do what the latter does. In that case, think deeply about what kind of message would appeal to your client.
Let’s not forget that Jargon is necessary in many cases, especially between experts in the same or similar fields of work and research.
For example, mathematicians have their own jargon and they understand it perfectly, even if they come from different parts of the world. Architects working on a project also need to communicate in the same jargon in order to work properly and efficiently. So that is necessary here.
But Maria is not a marketing expert. Instead, she is a talented cook and an excellent tea maker. That’s what she does. Her goal is to increase her sales and open another space-themed bakery on Mars, not to learn the language you use in your profession.
So, be considerate of your customer.
2-Self-centered communications
Dear businesses,
Sorry, but you’re not that important.
Being considerate of your customer should also mean listening to them and presenting them in your communications. Talk too much about yourself, and they’ll run away.
Imagine this. You are an astronaut. You go to a self-proclaimed best hairdresser to get a fancy haircut before you are sent into space. Throughout the process, he tells you that he is so good at his job that no other hairdresser should be allowed to work. He is the greatest. His voice is above everything. And if you don’t like his work, it’s your fault. You have terrible taste.
After 15 minutes that seemed like an eternity, it’s over. You leave the salon. Your head is spinning from all the me-talk. You vow, with all your heart, that you will never go back there.
Can you feel it now?
Talk about yourself too much. Ignore your customer’s situation. And you’ll successfully unlock a bad impression. Great.
3-What the heck is it that you do?
If you’re on the other side of the river. The kind that talk less about themselves. You might not be doing so well too.
For instance, you want to hire a life coach. You see a life coaching website. You enter. All it says is “I’m a life coaching consultant. Book a call, NOW!”. No information about the coach, no proof or certification, no client testimonials… How are you supposed to know if this is right for you or not? Nah, just forget it.
On the other hand, if you keep sending different messages as a business, you might confuse your customers.
Look at the following promises from a fictitious consultancy agency:
“We are a consulting agency that helps entrepreneurs grow their business from $0 to $1M in less than a year!”.
“Want to start a side business and turn it into a full time job? Our advice and strategies could save you a lot of time and money!”
Wow. You get excited. You get in touch with them.
But, you get told that you should be a certified entrepreneur with an established brick-and-mortar business, not a newbie planning to start an online side hustle.
What a flop.
So be consistent. Be Real. Be Clear. That’s the real deal.
4- Not listening properly to your customer
Remember the egocentric hairdresser? Yeah, you do, clearly.
Well, he not only talked too much about himself, but he also neglected to actively listen to his client.
Don’t be like him. Listen actively to your customers.
Ask them. Encourage feedback. Take notes. What do they like and what do they hate? What are their main pain points?
And then, incorporate these notes in your communications.
Customise your sales pitch. Optimise your advertising copy. Edit your landing page.
Make them feel heard.
Also, don’t just listen to the sweet talk. Be open to criticism as well.
Customer complaints are a free source of information that can help you improve your offer considerably.
But know what to accept and what to reject.
Set values and stick to them.
In conclusion
To improve your customer experience, do the following:
– Provide a clear and simple idea about your offer;
– Learn about your customers, actively listen to them;
– Speak in your customer’s language. No jargon, unless necessary;
– Get in touch with Sympan for a personalized strategy;
– Don’t be the arrogant guy, be the humble and charming friend;
– Encourage feedback, positive and negative;
– Personalize your communication;
– Only make promises you can keep.
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