Your customers have no clue what you do

26254610 Painful Fact: Your customers know much less about you than you think. Until they need it, they don’t bother to find out if you do it. And sometimes, they don’t think to ask – even then.

For example, many an agency bemoans the fact that their clients went elsewhere to have a website built or to have a speech written, simply because the client didn’t know the agency did that sort of thing. (For our clients out there…yes, we do both.)

You have to tell them. Tell them in an engaging way. Tell them in a useful way – give them something to “steal” or adapt to make their own life a little easier.  Use the dialogue to establish your expertise and your commitment to their success/well being.

  1. Are you sharing case studies with "here's what we learned" tips that your other clients can use?
  2. Are you hosting events where your customers can come together and talk about the thing they have in common – you?
  3. Do you bring samples or photos of work you've done for others to your client meetings?  Start off the conversation with a…"hey, I thought you might find some value in what we learned when we did XYZ for You Know Who."  So bring something relevant.

If they don’t know that you do it – they’ll find someone who does. And it often times, might not be you. And – don’t even think about doing it just once.  You have to tell them over and over…and be on-target and on-time each and every time.  Don't make them search — tell them again and again.

If not, you send a message you don’t want them to get — call somebody else.

How do you let your customers know the depth and variety of things you are capable of doing for them?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]