💡 Business Tip - Personalization Drives More Sales (Issue #38)
Take the time to know your customers better
Personalization creates a connection between you and your clients/customers. Customers prefer businesses that know their names, remember their past purchases or engagement, know something about their lives, and can make smart recommendations.
I’m sure you’ve experienced the opposite of this with companies and people dropping into your inbox. I certainly have! Some salespeople will try to market their product or service to me without taking a minute to read my LinkedIn profile and know anything about my background.
It’s laughable.
“Hey, we can help you design your website!”
Ummm, did you notice I used to be a designer at Apple? I know how to design.
“We can fill your calendar with appointments!”
You obviously have read none of my articles or posts about how much I hate a packed calendar. No thanks!
“We have a course in product management that I know you’d love!”
Dude, I was a VP of Product Management. Go away.
I understand why businesses prefer their one-size-fits-all products and do automated sales blasts to thousands of people. It’s faster and easier, and it scales. Such is the nature of a larger company with tons of employees and high costs.
However, we are solopreneurs. We don’t need the soulless scale of a corporation. We can build closer relationships with our customers and clients. We can be human and personalize the experience so people know we care.
Because when you care, it’s good for the customer and it’s good for you. It drives repeat purchases, long-term retention of loyal clients, and a better experience all around.
I get to know my coaching clients pretty well. We work together for weeks, months, and sometimes years. I have a few clients who have been working with me for almost seven years! We’ve become friends, too.
Taking the time to understand your customers is always an excellent investment.
Who are they?
What are their lives like?
What are their pain points?
What keeps them up at night?
What do they want most in life?
How can you help them achieve their goals?
How can you connect more personally with them?
I learn a lot of this information in my initial discovery call with potential clients. I have an intake questionnaire that gives me some insights. Then we talk about their background, what they’re seeking, and how I can help.
I take lots of notes! I have a living document for every one of my clients with detailed notes from our sessions. I can scroll back and review what we talked about weeks or months ago. They don’t have to start from the beginning with me, which is something they would have to do with a new coach. Instead, we have a shared history and understanding. It makes our conversations a lot more useful and productive.
There are a lot of customer relationship management (CRM) tools out there which might be right for your type of business. But, I keep it simple and use a Word doc and calendar to enable my personalization. Use what works best for you, your clients, and your business.
I’m Larry Cornett, a coach who can work with you 1-on-1 to design, launch, and optimize your business. You might also be interested in my “Employee to Solopreneur” workshop. I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and Great Dane while running my businesses 100% remotely.