Imagine Mr Moneybags walking down the street. He has so much disposable income in his pockets that his pants are starting to sag a bit and he has dreadful lower back pain. But suddenly! there you are offering to sell him your wares. It doesn’t even matter what they are, he accepts. In fact, in order to get rid of the wad of cash in his socks, he pays you sixteen times as much as you asked for in slightly fragrant but nonetheless welcome notes. Without even asking your name he tips his hat and skips down the street…
…and then you wake up.
Marketing in the real world
Real people buy for two reasons:
- need
- emotion
Selling to need (real need: water in the middle of the desert, or plumbing to a man with exploded pipes, or umbrellas in a sudden rainstorm) is easy. You tell them what they’re gonna get and how much it costs. They buy. Done.
But the vast, vast majority of things we buy aren’t things we really need.
What does this have to do with the heading?
Wait, liebchen, all will be explained.
Well?
Okay, okay! So you’re selling goods and services that require that your customers feels something before they buy. (What that emotion is will depend on what you sell. If you’re stuck, this article on what problem your product/service really solves might help.) For large retailers, they can amp up the emotions as much as possible, knowing they’re the one who will benefit. Apple doesn’t care which store you buy your iPod at. Jim’s Mowing doesn’t care which of their franchisees mow your lawn. However you purchase, they profit.
But you, you have fewer ways to sell. You have to make sure that your customer comes to you when they feel in a buying mood. The best way to ensure they choose you instead of all the other people? Make them trust you, like you, know you. Build a relationship and you’ll be the one they think of when they need what you have. So you need a bit of time to develop that relationship before they buy.
I’m sure you’ve seen websites that are like the hand-lettered signs in cranky newsagents: Buy Something or Get Out.
This is daft.
You need reasons for your potential customers to hang around with you before they’re ready to buy. That’s why blogs are so useful, that’s why Twitter kicks ass, that’s why encouraging people to sign up to a mailing list rocks. They are all ways to get on your customer’s radar now, while they’re interested, but before they’re ready to buy.
However! that’s only half the picture. You can’t develop a great relationship by shouting at someone, and you certainly don’t want to create completely passive customers: passive customers won’t take the action required to give you money.
So what do I do?
You give your customers ways to connect, actions to take, ways to build the relationship from their side. Ways to get them involved!
- The magnificent Sparky Firepants had a spur-of-the-moment draw-his portrait competition. It was random and fun and engaging, and appropriate to who he is and the services he offers. (Feel free to admire my delightful entry.)
- Ask questions on your blog and get people’s opinions. Everyone loves to be heard! Everyone loves people who ask their opinion and/or advice! Take the extra time to respond to the comments, and take the conversation much further.
- Hang out and be friends on Twitter.
- Run a survey on your blog. Ask what topics people would like you to cover, what articles they like, what you haven’t done well…
- Offer to do guest posts.
- Let them do guest posts on your blog.
- Talk about their successes – interviews, case studies.
- Give testimonials.
All of these actions involve no money. They do, however, require a small investment of time, attention, thought, or dodgy Photoshop skills. When your potential customers see that you use that investment of theirs well (by answering their comments, chatting on Twitter, implementing their suggestions, respecting their opinions, etc), then they feel more comfortable about investing other things with you. Things like cash.
So for example…
I’m watching with joy as you build your increasingly more awesome websites; they are the best possible proof that I’m doing great work. In fact, I’d like to have a showcase of them. If you’d like to have your website (and a pretty glowing recommendation) listed on this website, let me know in the comments.
Your five-minute mission, should you choose to accept it…
Make sure that there are at least three engagement tools on your website that do not involve money. If there aren’t, plan to start them very soon.
Do you have plenty of engagement methods? Do you want to be involved in the Awesome Showcase? Tell us in the comments!