Inside Small Business | Small Business & Home Business Marketing
Fear, Fear, Fear—-you may feel it, but don’t convey it
Gary Danoff
Profit Improvement Enterprises, LLC
Alright, I will grant you that these are historical times (although not entirely unprecedented). At this point, you have already been drowned in that message by the news media and then drowned again by others yipping about the news media. What is a business owner to do? How do you keep your own fear (some of it legitimate) in check so you don’t alienate customers and most of all, retain your best ones during these times of fear prevalence?
Everything I focus on now is based on accepting this fact: Customers -whether current or prospective are afraid to act. Many are riddled with uncertainty so the first thing to do is to address fear. To retain my own customers and attract new ones, I am:
1. Naming the devil and the devil is fear. I use the word – find a way to get it out there in each first conversation with a new customer. They’ll be more relaxed.
2. Respond, more quickly. Responding to opportunity is the king now more than ever.
3. Invest in listening to them. Ironically, this is actually an outstanding environment for increasing customer loyalty. But that only comes from giving undivided attention to customers; the type parents gave to kids when they were little. It is an investment. Make it.
4. Study what customers are saying. This is tied to listening to them. Let them know you heard them and ask them questions to probe a little deeper. Everyone wants to be heard these days.
5. Encourage them to action, now. Whether that action is buy something from you or to accept a complimentary offering you make…encourage them to action. You build even more loyalty to you and appreciation by customers.
Gary Danoff is Chief Attitude Officer of his consulting company in Rocvkille, MD, Profit Improvement Enterprises, LLC. Gary helps business owners and salespeople attract and retain delighted customers and employees using R.I.S.E. He can be reached at gary@riseselling.com
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Posted on Friday, April 10th, 2009 at 8:46 am and is filed under Business, Free Articles Directory. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
4 Comments | “Fear, Fear, Fear—-you may feel it, but don’t convey it”
Gary Danoff is the voice of reason in these times of
business uncertainty. Being a good listener and being
patient are critical in today’s sales process. Even moreso
is a benefit analysis and some type of ROI model to drive the
opportunity in the right direction.
encourage
prospects to move.
Gary Danoff is the voice of reason in these times of business uncertainty. Being a good listener and being patient are critical in today’s sales process. Even moreso
is a benefit analysis and some type of ROI model to drive the opportunity in the right direction.
Especially in federal sector, every gesture coming from the oversight authorities is saying, act fast–but watch out if you can’t account for every cent down to the subcontractor level.
You are right on target, Gary! With a gentle reminder, we and our prospective clients can have our fear and act anyway. Besides, it is useful to remember, too, that fear is contagious, so we can focus our energy on the opposite of fear, whether trust, knowledge, courage, peace, or love.