Though some people have labeled me as a visionary, I am incapable of predicting the future.
And while I happen to latch on to hot trends before the curve, it doesn't mean I have a working crystal ball.
Let's face it. I have no idea what is going to happen next.
So how exactly do you know what your customer wants?
There is a way. And it's actually not complex. It's not rocket science.
Want to know what your customers want without any doubt?
The solution is simple but often overlooked.
Ask them!
Take a look at my blog entries and notice how often I ask my readers questions.
That's because I want to know what my readers want. I am interested in your answers as it helps me determine what I need to be writing about.
This entry is no different.
Readers tell me all the time that they want to know what kind of content, products or services they should create.
Guess what?
You are asking the wrong person!
Sure, I can give you generalized answers. But it is YOUR site visitors and your customers who have the answers you are looking for.
This is one reason you will see my sending out surveys and asking my readers to fill out questionnaires. By asking the questions I believe are important I am able to capture data essential to the growth of my business.
After all, if you know how to better help your customers you are going to have happier customers.
There are several online tools you can use to create your own surveys and forms.
But most of them are solutions hosted on other people's servers. You don't really have ultimate control over them.
Here's the solution I will recommend...
Instant Form Pro is an incredibly versatile form-building and survey creation software tool that installs on your own server. You can use it create forms on the fly, as easy as drag-and-drop.
It's powerful stuff and I would invite you to click the link below to see a demonstration of how using Instant Form Pro is the closest thing you can get to a working crystal ball.
Purchase the software one time and you can create as many forms and surveys as you want... period.
This is an amazing, relevant post.
Funny, because I wrote something about this exact topic (while shamelessly plugging Instant Form Pro- ha, ha) on my own blog.
My life insurance agent bought a copy from me and I can't wait until he starts using it in his e-mails and other marketing efforts.
Whenever I meet up with prospects, I like to gauge their customer's demographics. A lot of biz owners do not know their customers wants and needs enough!
Like I love to quote, "If you don't ask, you don't get".
We should all know nearly everything there is to know about who we sell to to make both of our jobs (and lives) easier.
Nothing like pushing something that no one wants.
Another great post, Mr. Comm.
Best,
-K
Joel,
You have it exactly right - we can all get more of what we want by helping others get what THEY want. How do you know what that is? It's as simple as you say, just ASK but be sure you LISTEN well and leave your ego and preconceptions aside.
We all have two ears and one mouth, but we rarely use them in proportion!
Cheers,
Joel, no doubt, you are right. I've been following several people that preach the same concept and I understand the importance of it. The form is not important, because it is defined as a result of multiple tests. The problem is that it is very hard to get people to talk, even just answering questions. Besides, you need to get people to your website first, and the competition is such that it is extremely difficult to get noticed today, in this ocean of information. The natural traffic to your particular website - that's what important.
Joel,
Looks like Instant Form Pro is quite a user friendly tool. Does the brand label appear every time you upload a new form to your site, or could it be white labeled? Please advise.
Thnx,
J :^>
Great post, and very good comments too!
this is really true..asking questions really works.But after asking questions the next task is to listen well totheir answers so as to know exactly what they want.
Hey Joel, Glad to say I twigged to the answer before I read the post. The joy of being in Customer Service and really enjoying my work. :-)
You say, "Do Good Stuff" and I say "Keep Going With The Good Stuff", you've been a big help to me, in getting started, online so thank you.
--Dave
Asking the customer what he or she wants and reading their answer between the lines is good business 101. This goes for any business whether it is a standard brick and mortar type or just an internet affiliate business.
1) Find out exactly what the customer wants.
2) Build a business model to deliver what they want profitably.
3) Scale it as large as possible to reap the most possible profit.
Hi Joel,
Yet again another insightful post.Not asking what you're customers want and listening to them, is a sure way to fail online. Another usefull resource is, www.surveymonkey.com here, you can set up free surveys.
Thanks
Jules
hello Joel
The first rule of selling either offline or online is to ask questions to people . The more they say (more they open their mouth ) more they will tell to marketer about what they want . Marketer biggest weapon is listening . Listen what the customer saying,verbally,silently,through emotions and through body language and then try to solve customer problems with solutions.
Big companies spending millions of dollars on surveys to listen what people say about their products and selling their brands to that customers and recovering all expenses includes money spending on surveys and advertising.