Have you ever had someone throw up a barrier when you are just trying to determine if you want to work with them? This week, Eliot and Jodi talk about how a $50 charge at a travel agency might relate to your business.
Why is that important for business?
Sometimes, businesses value their needs to the exclusion of the needs and expectations of the new client, and in so doing, they establish the first step in a new relationship as a barrier.
There is a fear that if you give away, you will go down a slippery slope of giving it all away. But often the thing you do to protect yourself from something puts you on the fast track to that very thing you were trying to avoid.
It might seem like a good idea to establish a policy that protects you from someone who will pick your brain and then not use your services; however, at the same time, that very policy may act as a barrier to the very customers that you are looking for.
This isn’t about creating a policy that will protect you. It is about figuring out the generalized emotional state of potential clients. It is about asking yourself, “What would smooth the road between my client and saying yes?”
Part of the issue is the blurry line between the sales process and the service process. Staying focused on their emotional experience and needs helps you to avoid policies that create barriers in order to solve a problem you are experiencing.
In this wonderful article, “Using Customer Journey Maps to Improve Customer Experience,” Adam Richardson (@Richardsona) explains how you can map out your customers emotions so that you can pre-calm fears and assuage periods of uncertainty or anxiety.
If you can’t find the empathy for your clients and what they are worried about – which, frankly, might be you – you are missing a huge opportunity.
It is important to understand your clients’ needs and expectations, and to smooth their anxieties. And it is also about having confidence in the value you provide, and your ability to convey that value. And trusting that you know where to draw the line where to stop giving for free, and that if they don’t get the value, it’s okay.
Some key things to remember:
What’s YOUR story?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, or other business stories you’d like to share.
Join the conversation via:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SHMSpodcast
Twitter: @SHMSpodcast
Email: talktous@soheresmystory.com
Our confidential toll-free line at 1-833-83-STORY
Other Places to Listen & Subscribe:
iTunes --> http://bit.ly/SHMSiTunes
Stitcher --> http://bit.ly/SHMS-st
GooglePlay Music --> http://bit.ly/SHMS-gp
Soundcloud --> http://bit.ly/SHMS-sc
Youtube Channel --> http://bit.ly/SHMS-yt
Register to receive Episodes by EMAIL: http://bit.ly/SHMS-email
You can also find us on... Outcast, Downcast, PodcastAddict, PodcastRepublic
Enjoying this podcast?
Your word means more than any marketing we could ever do. So please take a moment to:
- rate & review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.
- share or comment on facebook, twitter or linkedin.
- OR, consider joining our Patron’s Circle for more perks and bonus content. (http://www.patreon.com/SHMSpodcast)
It’s our final episode, and we have a lot to say, including thank you so much for listening!
Why is that important for business?
We are sad (and …
Is your business in a rut? Is everyone showing up with “Non-Player Characters” energy? When you have an Organizational Depressive State, it can be hard to get out of it – or can it be as …
How do you strike the balance between keeping things that you might not ever need, and getting rid of things that you might regret not having?
Why is that important for business?
Having …
Do you expect to be heard? Or do you just assume that how things are is how they have to be?
Why is that important for business?
Do you have a say or a voice? Do you expect to be heard? If …
Like all good lessons about asking for what you need in business, this lesson starts in a massage parlor.
Why is that important for business?
You need to be aware of your needs (in …
When you find out you are riding with the descendent of a nationally acclaimed blind wrestler, you know you’re in for some stories. And it turns out, we can turn those stories into some …
You can listen to episodes right here on the website, or if you prefer, in a podcast app. Listening in an app makes it easier to keep track of what you’ve already heard, listen without using your data plan and many other conveniences.