Sometimes business executives make what appear to me to be unhelpful distinctions between categories of their customers. The most obvious one is between individual end-consumers and other businesses – whether the latter are also end consumers or add value to the product – or even service – purchased.
It is useful to keep in mind the fact that interactions – including marketing and sales – between businesses actually occur between real people, and that they involve engaging the decision-making mechanisms of those people. The same processes occur as with an individual end-consumer – and often the same way – such as emotional satisfaction followed by intellectual rationalization. However, in B2B marketing, it is much more important to sell the solution, rather than the service or product.
“No one understands me.” As a senior executive, you are well aware of your own targets and problems, but how well do you understand those of your business customers? If you want to be their preferred supplier, they need to be your preferred customer. This means more than superficial research about their business and market position. It means getting to know their executives and firm-specific processes and culture.
You’ve heard how the most successful consumer goods marketers study their customers’ purchasing and product-use habits relentlessly. They follow them around the store as they peruse the shelves. They even follow them home and observe how they use the product. They know not only how their customers interact with their products – they understand their customers’ needs. Some even do this sort of thing with their business clients.
Do you? When you know your customer like an insider, you will be able to determine how your products and services can help that customer, and how best to communicate that in a manner that solves both the customer’s intellectual (rational) and emotional (business process and cultural) needs. They will feel that their needs are truly understood by a reliable and professional ally. As a result, you’ll find yourself sitting – not across the table from someone who seems always to be returning to the status of a prospect – but around the table with an enduring partner.
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Today’s tip: Speaking of elegantly integrating our desired ends with our customers’ desired means, please be sure to take a moment to view Michael Wade’s recent essay on reasoning.
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Jim,
This is one of my favorite topics.
During a recent CEO transition I heard the incoming executive say, “The first thing I want to do is meet our customers.” And he proceeded to do just that.
He also added that he wanted to see senior executives spend more time with customers NOT selling, but instead learning their businesses and their challenges.
Hi Steve,
That’s excellent – spending time with your customers not to sell, but to learn their businesses. That’s not only how you ultimately provide more products/services, but learn which ones are needed and that you can optimally provide, as well as when and how.
In helping your customer solve its problems, you make for a more robust, healthy, and constructively enduring customer – and also one that knows where this came from.
Thanks for stopping by with this, Steve!