Five questions every business owner needs to ask themselves
All too often small business owners focus their attention on the products and services they’re selling, and overlook other vital areas of their business. To help you avoid the same mistake, here are five questions you need to ask yourself.
After years of helping small business owners create powerful video content, Hax from Hax Media shares the five questions he uses to ensure their sales and marketing strategy is robust and well thought through.
Five questions every business owner should ask themselves
In almost every case, when a customer asks us to make a film for them, we initiate a discovery process to reveal the story and values of their business and what it is exactly they want the film to do.
This exercise can be challenging, illuminating and really focus thought as often businesses are not clear about some really essential aspects of what they do and why they do it.
To help you, I’m posing five questions every business owner should ask themselves.
1) Am I clear about what I’m selling?
It’s very important that a potential customer understands what it is you sell and how your product will meet their needs. Having a clear sales message is so important – technical jargon and obtuse wording only leads to confusion and disinterest.
So clearly set out what your product is and what benefit and value it brings to your customers. This clarity must show up in every interaction with your customers, including networking, marketing literature and your website.
2) Is my business coherent in its branding and marketing?
Your business branding is your core identity. From colours, fonts and your logo, through to the appearance of your marketing literature and digital sales tools, there must be cohesion throughout.
Business branding and marketing messages tell a customer a lot about how you run your business. If they’re un-imaginative or messy, it tells your customer that those elements are probably showing up in the way in which you do business. It won’t build confidence and you will lose customers before they even approach you. (Read three ways you can bring out your brand’s personality.)
3) Does my website answer my customers’ questions?
This is the downfall of so many businesses. Typically, the website is where false economies are made, and this is a big mistake.
In today’s market place at least 85% of the buying decision is made using the internet and your website is at the frontline of that as far as your customer’s research is concerned. It’s critically important to say clearly not only what you do, but why you do it. (You can read how to write a perfect About page here.)
People buy from people, and how you pitch to your customer will demonstrate the clarity of your business values and the care you take. If you can, show your products and prices clearly or make it easy for potential customers to ask questions. If you don’t do this or you’re ambiguous in any way, they’ll simply move on.
4) Is the buying journey easy for my customers?
Once your customer has decided to buy from you, don’t take that moment for granted – make it easy for them to make the purchase.
Ensure each buying experience is the best it can be, whether it’s placed via your website, phone call or email to your office. Pay special attention to this process and have friends and colleagues test it vigorously. Listen to their comments and adjust accordingly.
You could also invest in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software in order to help you build meaningful relationships and provide the best experience for the customer possible – you could check out a guide to hubspot crm online to see what their system could do for you, if this is something that you are interested in. Remember it’s not about you, it’s about your customer.
5) Does my customer feel important when they buy from me?
Getting a new customer is one thing, but getting them to come back again and again is more valuable in the long term. If your customer feels important, valued and supported, you stand a better chance of winning their repeat business.
More importantly, and I can’t stress this enough, the majority of new customers come directly from referrals. When your customer is satisfied and feels valued there is a high chance they will refer new potential customers to you. That’s brilliant and free lead generation! And those referrals are highly likely to buy from a supplier who has been personally recommended by someone they know.
So make sure every single customer feels valued and appreciated, and happy to return to you and recommend you to their colleagues, family and friends. (Read how three online business make their customers feel special here.)
To find out how Hax Media can help you create great video content and get it in front of the right audience with a cost-effective campaign, visit their website.
