Did you know most of your potential customers don’t even know your business exists?
Why Rich, you exclaim. “That’s impossible! How could they not know I exist? ”
Because unlike you, who focuses and works on their business everyday. They are not even thinking about your business, unlike maybe at one point they might need your goods or services, but even then it is for the briefest of moments.
Let me tell you a story, I need the word count.
I went for a walk once on a nice summer day. It was clear from what I remember, at a small commercial area by my former house before blogging made me a millionaire. One of the small store fronts, always closed and empty sat a new store. It was a country store from what I remember, they sold fresh produce, nick nack things painted like cows and various artisan products, fancy olive oil and things like that. I quite like what they offered, and I was initially surprised to see a new store like this locally, and considered about how it might improve my life.
It was their last day.
They were selling their fixatures, selling their inventory at deep prices and basically closing up shop. It was almost shocking, to see that this store had opened, been In business for what I would guess had been atleast a few months, then gone out of business, for me a new customer only to arrive at the very last moments of its life.
I only lived a few blocks away from the business, I had never heard of them opening. Nobody locally discussed it, I saw no ads. I didn’t see any big signage as I drove by numerous times. As I, a potential customer moved through my life of decadence and pleasure, completely unaware of their existence. This little business opened up, loaded their merchandise and waited for customers to come, and waited, and waited and waited. Until after a lack of business, they gave up their dream and decided to close their store. All the while none of their potential customers never being aware of their existence.
I wonder how many businesses have gone out of business, with their customers never being aware that they existed? We will never know I suppose. But I would imagine there are a few out there.
It occurs to me, the biggest problem with this business is obviously they didn’t bother to tell anybody that they were open. Maybe they advertised and I didn’t see it. I don’t know. But it didn’t work.
So whats the point of this long and tedious story?
Well the point of it is this, How many of your potential customers don’t know you exist? How many of them need your business to help improve their lives or do whatever you do, and don’t know you offer it? I bet there are a few of them.
What do you do again?
Maybe they know you do exist, but they don’t know what you do? Have you ever told people what you do in your business and why people want your product?
I went on vacation once, miracles do happen after all. I saw billboards everywhere about this company. They spend a lot of money. It read something like.
“Richmond, were the best.”
“You know when you call Richmond.”
“Why pick anybody but Richmond?”
I didn’t know what Richmond was. I still don’t. Did I need them? I don’t know. Did I want to give them my money? I wasn’t sure.
Richmond, and their loyal staff may still be sitting around waiting for my business. But for all I know it could have just been a fevered dream.
Does your marketing tell your customer what you are, and why you want them?
Unless you are Coke, or Mcdonalds, you should tell your customer why they want you.
Admitly this is harder for the little guy in business, with smaller budgets, limited resources and what not. But that is why its most important to let people you are out there and available.
Of course once you get the customer, you need to be able to actually do what is required of you. But that is a topic for a different day.
Your Friend in business,
Rich. E. Cunningham.