I would like to share an incredibly powerful approach to marketing with you. It will help differentiate your business, enable you to convert more prospects, generate greater positive word-of-mouth and ultimately create more referrals for your business. This article is about educating your prospects and your existing customers.
Why educate?
To a non educated consumer, businesses that offer competing services generally look the same and therefore not particularly attractive. If your business appears this way then you are not marketing powerfully enough. You are not giving prospects a reason to buy from you or existing customers the extra motivation to stay or refer business.
If prospects and existing customers are educated on every aspect of your business, your offerings and the lengths you go to satisfy a customers' needs, you have successfully differentiated yourself.
Countless businesses have information, processes, facts, materials, expertise and even machinery that, if explained properly, could become a major differentiator and draw card for new customers.
What to educate prospects and customers about
You can educate prospects and customers about:
- facts
- materials used
- quality
- durability
- reputation
- your facilities
- how much R&D you perform
- environmental implications
- locations
- staff credentials
- skills
- processes used by you (and perhaps not by your competitors)
- awards
- philanthropic activities
- success stories etc.
What are the key benefits of educating your clients and prospects?
Educating your prospects and existing customers will:
- Differentiate your business and give your prospects and clients a reason to choose you rather than competitors. Once your prospects and clients are informed they will think you are the only company who does these great things. Therefore, the only viable option to satisfy their needs must be you.
- Address any objections, concerns, or risks that your prospects may be facing in choosing you. Removing all these obstacles makes it much easier for them to buy from you!
- Give your customers (new and existing) something unique and different to say about you to their friends or colleagues. You will effectively be giving them ammunition.
So, think of all the great things about your business that you may be taking for granted. List these and try sharing them with your prospects and customers. Interview your existing customers and ask them what they love about your business. Hold a staff meeting and brainstorm what your prospects might find fascinating about your business. Don't hide your greatest marketing assets behind your back. Shout them out from the rafters!