I remember the first time I went to a coffee shop and heard the women in front of me order her drink with 8 variables to it. Are you kidding me? I was stunned and then intimidated because I was just going to order a coffee! Was I doing something wrong? How do I learn this secret strategy so many possess? I am outsider looking in.
It didn’t take long for me to realize how much better my favorite beverages tasted by customizing and sorting out the coffee variables to meet my exact tastes. This experience reinforced how important it is to have this kind of attention to detail in your business.
A big mistake I see clients making before they consult with me is they are trying to sell to everyone versus selling to their best customer. Also, they are using the same message to everyone even though my clients know they have a mix of different customers that need and want different things. So, here are a few suggestions that will help you sell to more clients, sell your product easier and ultimately get more referrals.
Extreme List Selection. Let’s say you are composing a marketing message to your client list about coming to your restaurant for Valentine’s Day. Instead of sending out one offer to everyone (men & women) you should develop individual marketing messages that will go out to men and women.
Your message to men is that you are helping them come up with a romantic solution for their significant other. Your message to women is to get them to show their significant other that your place is the place to be. You could further dissect your list by the following categories: married men, married women, married men with kids, married women with kids, single men, and single women.
You could go one step further and craft different messages to those segments above that dine with you more than 6 times per year versus those that come only 1 time per year. Make sense? There is power in segmenting your list to target your message with laser focus.
Give ‘Em More Than They Ever Imagined. Using the restaurant example above, don’t just offer someone a complimentary appetizer for joining you on Valentine’s Day. Make a bold offer. “Get the Unforgettable Platinum Romance Special Guaranteed To Make This The Most Amazing Valentine’s Day You Ever Had!” Included would be a limo picking you up at your door step, an exclusive bottle of wine not offered to the general customers, a beautiful bouquet of flowers at a table with a view reserved exclusively for you, a personal gift from the chef, and on and on. I hope you get the point.
You want to find those that understand there is value in an experience. You can charge premium prices and have little to no resistance in this offer because there is extreme value and something no one else in town in delivering.
Now it is time to choose. You can be in the commodity business or you can be in the experience business. Which will it be?
