Looking at your business from your clients perspective.
Most business owners, including me until recently, don’t know exactly what business they’re really in. Everyone has perfected their ‘elevator pitch’. You know, that 30 second, roll-off-your-tongue verbal commercial that answers the question, “So, what do you do?”
However, if you look at your business from the outside in, from your customer’s perspective, you might be surprised at how you are perceived. For example, I have always answered the question by saying that I’m a small business consultant. Good or bad, the word consultant is a volatile one, but is does conjure up an image in the person’s mind that they can easily relate to. Even in my own head I’ve pegged myself as being in the consulting and/or coaching business. The truth is yeah…but not really.
By working through my own business transformation recently I have come to realize, by talking to clients and colleagues, that my coaching methods are really just the mechanism that I use…I’m really in the business of creating personalized business RESULTS for my clients.
Every client is in a different business. I have worked with owners in 41 completely different industries over the last 32 years. Every client has different ideas about how their business should be structured and they all use a very personal and internal measuring system to determine their business ‘success’. And, while every business owner wants the same three basic RESULTS, they ALL want their results on their own terms.
As I analyzed my business, I realized that my ‘business’ is helping the client define what they really want, designing a strategic plan to get them there and then continuously helping them overcome the obstacles that prevent them from implementing and achieving the outcomes (results) they’ve defined.
I’ll give you a few other examples to illustrate what I mean about learning what business you’re really in:
Insurance business-most brokers look at their business as providing a good policy and excellent claims service and tout their records and prices. They are actually in the peace of mind business.
Restaurant business-most restaurant owners see themselves as serving good quality food to hungry people. The truly smart and profitable one see themselves in the entertainment business delivering an experience that comes with a meal.
Real Estate business-most realtors focus on the commodity business of selling property and shelter. To improve business they need to realize that they are actually in the business of fulfilling family dreams.
Web design business-most web creators spend a lot of time talking about the latest code version, graphics, awards they’ve won and SEO stats. If you;re in this niche, you’re in the business of creating an image and an experience. We all look for a web designer who gets us, listens to us and makes the process simple.
Why is discovering your real business and the client’s perception of your business so important? I’m glad you asked. Because once you know it, you can create an immediate shift in the way you market your products or services.
You’ll use different words, you’ll create different promises and guarantees, you’ll use different graphics and images in your advertising. By getting in sync with your prospects and customers it makes it easier for them to see you as the company or person to work with because you are speaking THEIR language.
Every one of us is in the business of creating and experience and solving the client’s desires. They may need a new car for transportation, but the red flashy sports car isn’t about that, neither is the hybrid, nor the massive SUV. Their choice reflects their desired way to be seen in their world. Tap into that vein of emotion and you’ll have a line of happy clients waiting to do business with you for a long time.
So what business are you REALLY in?
If you’re re-evaluating your business model, perhaps an outside perspective could be helpful.
Let’s connect and talk about it. I’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session. Click the link to claim yours.
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=19413490&appointmentType=13889895
