Continued from page 1
2. Ask Questions Ask prospects and clients what they need and want. Ask clients how they used your product or service and what would make it even more useful.
3. Watch What Clients Do With Your Products and Services One of
challenges of product development is getting prospects to identify a product they haven’t seen. Steve Maynard, a Vice President of Marketing at Wiremold in Connecticut understood this dilemma and had a simple solution. He regularly sent his employees out to watch how customers used his company's products.
By watching customers install their wire and cable management products, they could identify any problems that occurred and come up with new or improved products.
These insights into your customers’ needs and problems can also drive your marketing.
4. Listen to
Questions Prospects and Clients Ask Every day prospects and clients call me with lots of questions about how to improve their marketing. I get questions about cold calling, email marketing, closing s.ales, getting
boss to spend money on marketing, solving office politics etc. Each question is an indication of a need. When I evaluate which products to develop, which services to keep and which to add, I use this list of my own prospects’ needs to help set
course of my business.
My primary service is teaching people how to market their products and services, but I have had so many requests for help with copywriting that uses
successful approach I espouse that I am now offering copywriting as an added service.
5. Think About How You Want to Be Seen By Your Customers Do you want your customers to think of you solely as a profit-driven service provider? Or do you want your clients to think of you as a professional who they know and trust to help them solve their problems? The path you choose will determine how you approach your product development, delivery and marketing.
Want to ensure repeat orders and
continued growth of your business? Keep your business compass pointed to prospects' needs and wants and you'll stay on a course toward long term success and greater profits. -
