Election time is a great time to really ask yourself the question:
“Are my customers voting for me?”
Consumers vote everyday with their wallets. That is the simplest kind of vote. But, it doesn’t always mean that they’d recommend the product or service they purchased. Sometimes people buy out of convenience, necessity or because they can’t find what they’re buying anywhere else.
So, as a small business owner, you need to ask two questions:
“Are people voting for my business by purchasing my product or service?”
If not, why not?
- Are you selling the wrong product to the wrong market?
- Is your message clear?
- Are you focused enough on a specific niche?
- Are you broadcasting your “unique selling proposition”?
- Do you have barriers that hinder the buying process?
- Are you allowing consumers to buy in the way THEY want? (online, phone orders, etc)
- Do you provide enough 3rd party validation? (testimonials, endorsements, etc)
“Do my customers vote AGAIN by referring their friends?”
If not, why not?
- Did you fail to deliver what your marketing message promised?
- Have you failed to follow up with your customers?
- Are you continuing to provide value after the sale?
- Are you providing tools that help your customers make referrals easily?
- Are you incentivizing your customers to refer?
These are a few ways you can analyze your success as a small business. What things are you looking at to determine if consumers are voting for you? Please post your ideas in the comments below.
