Stop and Listen

Mike Rynchek

President

Spyder Trap Online Marketing

mrynchek@spydertrap.com

spydertrap.com

Topic: Marketing/ Communications

What makes your company different or better than the competition? I ask this because how you stand out in a sea of brands could make the difference between success and failure. Understanding your core benefits to the consumer allows you to cut through the marketplace clutter, stand out and attract more customers.

While preparing this article I reached out to various people in my network: Twitter followers, business associates and clients. I wanted to know what it was about me or my company that interested them. Their responses were fascinating. Some mentioned action and a focus on results. Others cited honesty, sometimes bordering on the blunt. Kim Optiz responded via Twitter that she follows me "to learn what YOU learn and know."

This is an exercise I encourage everyone to try. If one truly understands why he or she appeals to an individual, there is nothing stopping that person from appealing to the masses. Take this same approach when marketing your company. Discover what makes you stand out as different and better in the eyes of those who value doing business with you and utilize that information. Whether on Twitter or a billboard, reinforce what your most valuable customers have told you. Green Mill understands their most valued customers enjoy being rewarded for their loyalty, so what do they do? They give away free pizza to those who follow and engage with them via Twitter. This rewards loyal customers building brand advocates, gets more people into their stores, and helps drive sales.

How can you apply this approach to your business? First, listen to your customers. Accept up front that you may not always like what you hear. None the less, all responses are valid and worth considering. Do a Google search, search on Twitter, post a question on your social media channels or website and ask your customers why they decided to purchase from you. Track their responses, because in a very short time you will know what makes you different and better than your competition. You will quickly learn what makes people engage with your company.

Finally, take action on what you've learned. Market based on these compelling points. Position your company based on your core benefits and fix the areas in which you lack.

The lesson here is simple. Stop talking at your customers and start listening to them. Find out what makes you different or better and why they do business with you. Fulfilling your customers' real needs is the key to success and higher sales.

Interested in learning more about this topic? Have an idea for a future topic? Feel free to connect with me directly on Twitter at @MikeRynchek or via email at mrynchek@spydertrap.com.