If you’re running an online business, just attracting a horde of followers is relatively meaningless – engaging them as clients is what really matters.
Before you can begin converting skeptical, highly informed, ‘what’s in it for me’ followers into happily engaged customers you need to understand the actions and attitudes that will win them over.
Make these seven practices the standards for how you run your business – and you’ll kick your conversions into high gear:
1. Tell Them the Truth
We’ve all heard enough empty promises from companies galore to set a pretty strong prejudice against anyone selling anything. What’s rare these days is someone being totally upfront and honest with us. Be that kind of business professional and you’ll bring down the walls with the most jaded prospect.
2. Put Them First
There’s no getting around it, people don’t care about anything as much as they do themselves. Put them first and they’ll give you their ear.
3. Respond Promptly
Nothing can sour a formative business relationship more quickly, or imperceptivity, than unmet expectations. Whether they mention it or not, treat every request as if it’s urgent. They expect it.
4. Care More About Their Needs Than Yours
Before proposing a product or service solution – answer these two questions: 1) Are you proposing what you want to sell, or what they really need? 2) If you were your own client is this offering what you’d be happy to pay for? When you really care about your client’s needs it shows – big time!
5. Provide A Solution Not Just An Answer
Don’t settle for the easy answer – look for a solution to your client’s real needs. Don’t settle for the minimum necessary to make a sale. This means more work on your part. It’s easy to make a pre-packaged sale, it takes a lot more research, digging and questions to find the real need and then provide the best solution.
6. Prove it with Testimonials
Every one of your clients will deal with varying degrees of doubt before, during and after deciding whether or not to buy from you. What they’re anxious to hear is something like this: “Clients A, B and C each made the decision to buy and now they are all so happy they did!” Eliminating their fear of making a bad decision through the use of testimonials is one of the strongest ways to build confidence in both you and your brand.
7. Do More Then You Promise
There’s no better way to set up repeat sales and strong referrals than doing more than you promised. The key word being “more”. Please don’t make the mistake in believing that doing fully what you promised is in any way the same thing.
Applying these seven principles has enabled me to realize tens of millions of dollars in business from folks that became long term, deeply engaged customers. I know they can do the same for you!
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