How to Increase Your Profits by Loving Your Customers
by Benita A. Esposito, MA
Proverbs 24:3-4 “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
The Challenge: Sales are down by 20%.
The Mistake: When you’re scared about not having enough money, you may have a tendency to try to convince people to buy your idea, product or service because you need the money. If people sense that you are more interested in meeting your needs than in helping them, they will feel manipulated and walk away.
Here’s an example. I visited a small clothing and shoe store. There were no other customers and a few sales people huddled at the jewelry counter. I dashed through the aisles, and not finding what I wanted, I headed for the door. As I put my hand on the door to push it open, a sales woman scurried up to me and asked if she could help me. I said, “No thanks,” and stepped toward the door. She got all excited and told me all about a line of jewelry she liked. She never asked me if I was interested in jewelry, and she never asked me what I was looking for. I politely listened for a couple of minutes and walked out of the store, bidding her a good day.
Suggestion: Focus on your customer’s needs, not your own. Find out what they want. Build relationship with them. Study how they want to be approached. Are they quick-paced or leisurely? Are they chatty or succinct? Match their style.
The Golden Rule says: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
The Platinum Rule says: “Do unto others as they would like done unto them.”
The sales woman was using the Golden Rule. I’m sure she was well-intentioned, but she assumed that talking to me in an excited manner would engage me, but it didn’t. I wasn’t interested in jewelry and I wasn’t in a talkative mood because I had a tight time schedule.
If the sales woman had tuned into me before she approached me, she would have seen me quickly scan several rows of shoes and racks of clothes before walking toward the door. She could have asked me in a warm voice, “It looks like you are in a hurry. Is there something in particular you are looking for? I’d be happy to help you find what you need.” The quality of her connection would have made the difference for me. She could have matched my quick-paced style with sincerely wanting to help me instead of trying to make a sale. I would have told her, “I am looking for bone-colored shoes and a long brown skirt.” If she had helped me look for those things in an efficient manner, I would have welcomed the help. I would have felt like she had my best interest in mind, and I would have liked her and trusted her.
S.M.A.R.T. business people continually ask themselves the following questions: “How can I help my customer the best? What are their needs? What is important to them? How can my product or service contribute to their life? If my product does not help them, how can I make a referral that will help them?”
That sounds a lot like love to me, doesn’t it to you? Business and love should go together. People buy from people they know, like and trust. When people strike a deal based in genuine caring, a trusted relationship begins to grow. People will return time and time again, and refer their friends.
Point to Remember: Show people you care about them in the way they like to be cared for. We’re all different, so don’t assume that what works for you will work for every one else. Be your Authentic Self and, at the same time, be flexible enough to match your customer’s style.
About the Author: Benita A. Esposito, M.A. combines a master’s degree in psychology and 3 decades of career wisdom with her intuitive ability to understand people at depth. She gets to the bottom line quickly so people can efficiently move toward their full potential. As a Relationship Coach, Benita facilitates people to develop and sustain flourishing relationships rooted in The Authentic Self.
Contact Information
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Email: Benita@EspositoInsitute.com
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S.M.A.R.T. means
S = Spiritual
M = Mature
A = Authentic
R = Responsible
T = Trustworthy
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