Establishing Yourself as an Expert in the Eyes of Your Customers

The most important aspect of a successful business is developing the correct mindset toward your customers. And this is not the over used phrase The customer is always right. Actually the correct mindset we are referring to here is to always think in terms of benefits for your customers. The highly successful businessperson thinks of ways to show interest in their customers even before they come into their store.

They endeavor to educate the customer on the benefits of their products and services. They make their products and services stand out in their customer's mind. Some marketing experts think of this in terms of a USP or Unique Selling Proposition. Or what are the unique selling characteristics that separate your products and services and make them stand out from your competition. Here is an exercise I suggest you do and then repeat at regular intervals.

Ask yourself the following questions and then write down in a list all the answers that you can think of.

  • In my relationship or interface with my customers what items am I currently doing or could I be doing which provide benefits to my customers?

  • What area of my relationship or interface with my customers which if I could improve would provide additional benefits to my customers?

  • Is there something in my relationships with my customers that they may dislike?

  • What special services do I provide my customers that benefit them?

  • What benefits do my customers receive from the products I sell?

    Now from the list of benefits you create from questions 1, 4, and 5 above. Pick out the best benefits and compile them into a one-page sheet.

    This sheet will serve to educate your customers how you stand out from your competition. You can do a lot with this sheet. You can create a plaque, which you hang on the wall for your customers to see. Have copies made and available for your customers to read and take home.

    Tip: Try to think of the hidden benefits or benefits that may not be readily apparent. For there can be true riches in the hidden benefits. You might even ask one of your better customers you know well the following: I am doing a survey with some of my most valued customers and I highly value your opinion on the following question? What are the main benefits that you feel you derive from doing business with me?

    This accomplishes two purposes. One it lets the customer know you highly value their opinion which makes for a more loyal customer and two they will reveal benefits they receive from your business that you hadn't thought of.

    And you can even add these benefits they provide to your list.

    By operating in this fashion you will develop a big edge over your competition.

    In fact even your ads should be oriented toward benefits to your customers, not just on what you are selling.

    Nick A. James offers informative tips and information on nutrition, health and working from home. Get the Exclusive Free Report! -6 Steps to Simplify Your Life, Improve Your Health & Give You Dynamic Energy! His many years of Internet Marketing expertise puts him in unique position to help others starting a home business.

    For free advice, health blog, and cutting edge info contact him at: http://www.health-goji-juice.com

    In The News:

    Bouygues Telecom Deploys Verimatrix Content Security for IPTV Service
    MSNBC - 4 hours ago
    Its ambition is to be the "preferred brand of personal communication services" thanks to a continuous focus on superior customer service. ...

    Business Wire (press release)
    NEW Troubleshooting Tools Revolutionizing Customer Service
    Business Wire (press release), CA - 11 hours ago
    (BUSINESS WIRE)--NEW Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW), the leading provider of extended service plans and buyer protection programs for consumer ...

    Norwegian Cruise Line Selects Omniture to Provide a More ...
    CNNMoney.com - 11 hours ago
    ... a more intuitive site experience for customers and better tools to help travel partners maximize their sales, marketing and customer service efforts. ...
    Omniture Snags Norwegian Cruise Lines techrockies.com
    all 10 news articles

    Avaya Receives 2008 Product of the Year Award Presented by ...
    MSNBC - 4 hours ago
    "More than ever, ensuring a high level of customer service is critical to a financial company's ongoing success," said Greg Billings, vice president, ...

    Cricket, Convergys ink multi-year deal
    Bizjournals.com, NC - 13 hours ago
    San Diego-based Leap provides wireless services through its Cricket subsidiary in 30 states. Cincinnati-based Convergys (NYSE: CVG) focuses on customer ...
    Leap Selects Convergys for Long-Term Managed Services Agreements WELT ONLINE
    Leap teams with Convergys for managed services Prepaid Reviews
    Cricket deploys Convergys' BSS/OSS billing system Telecompaper
    TelephonyOnline - RTT Newsall 28 news articles

    Fish and fun: It's all about customer service
    Le Mars Daily Sentinel, IA - 6 hours ago
    By Magdalene Landegent That's according to Joe Constance, the speaker who led seminars in Le Mars on customer service and building positive attitudes at ...

    FreshDirect takes a new approach to customer service
    InternetRetailer.com, IL - 5 hours ago
    58 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, says business is good despite the deepening recession because of new customer service initiatives the company ...

    Great customer service: Carrabba’s
    Albany Times Union, NY - 8 hours ago
    I thought I lost all hope for good customer service after the holiday season we had. I don’t even want to count the horrific dining experiences when ...

    LG Electronics Strengthens Focus On Innovation Customer Service ...
    YTN, South Korea - 34 minutes ago
    “Through continuous improvement in all aspects of customer service, we are striving for best-in-class performance in 2009. ...

    Call center company plans cuts | KXNet.com North Dakota News
    KXMC, ND - 9 hours ago
    Faehling said the cuts will come mainly from groups that don't provide direct customer service. Customers for SEI's customer service and sales support ...
    SEI employees to see severe cuts Grand Forks Herald
    all 9 news articles
    customer service - Google News


    • PARLOT.COM: Turnkey Money Making websites

    Invalid Excuses for Poor Business Results - The Weather

    Note to Kmart: It wasn't about the weatherIn the 1970s... Read More

    Customer Service - A Lost Art?

    Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that... Read More

    Automating Your Customer Support

    My regular readers will know that one of the things... Read More

    Stand Out in Business the Write Way

    When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More

    A New Way To Handle Complaints, Or Is It?

    What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More

    What Every Manager Should Know About How to Prevent Customer Service Conflicts

    There are five techniques that have been proven to be... Read More

    Revealed ? A Simple Formula For Success! Exceeding Expectations

    Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More

    How to Win the Hearts of Your Customers and Friends

    Those of us doing business over the internet have to... Read More

    Create a Positive, Upbeat, Can-Do Workforce and Dazzle the Customer with Your Caring!

    Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee... Read More

    Handling Angry Clients

    What do you do when your client gets mad at... Read More

    Marketing as a Spiritual Practice

    "Marketing as a spiritual practice." It sounds contradictory ? how... Read More

    Finding Out Why a Potential Customer is Calling On You

    Our challenge as the business owner/sales person answering the telephone,... Read More

    What Do They Want Anyway?

    You want customers. I want customers. We all want customers.... Read More

    How Not to Get Stiffed, Improving Your Collection Procedures

    Some businesses have slow paying customers or past due balances... Read More

    Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime ? part 1 (1 ? 10)

    Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their... Read More

    Say It With Humor

    When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More

    What Exactly is Customer Relationship Management?

    The defintion of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that I favor... Read More

    My Child Has Opie Eye!

    7:00 a.m., the silence in the house is broken by... Read More

    First Contact: The Source of Customer Loyalty

    With customers being smarter, more cost conscious, more product knowledgeable... Read More

    Customer Service - A Sweet Essence

    First let us specifically define customer service. It is the... Read More

    Over Delivering Provides Big Results

    Over promising is a problem only when you under deliver.... Read More

    Customer Service: Stop Sabotaging Your Customer Relationships

    If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar with... Read More

    Customer Feedback: Everyone has an Opinion - USE IT!

    Have you ever been in a department store and known... Read More

    Whats The Customer Service Buzz About Your Business?

    If you're a regular reader of my column you know... Read More

    Identify Your Silent Customer Service Message

    With the growing number of people in every business sector,... Read More