Twelve Tips to Make 'Moments of Truth" Count
Moments of truth are those moments in which consumers make the final decision to either try your product or service, or not. These are the 30-second to 2-minute periods when you can do something radical and create an impactful experience for your customer. While there is no sure fire way to ensure success every time, these twelve tips should help get you on the right track.
1) Smile - Smiling has been proven to improve personal satisfaction and wellbeing in general, so it should have a positive effect on customers too. Customers feel better about themselves when they are made to feel special.
2) Treat them like family - A firm hug or warm handshake is one of the best ways to convey this feeling of warmth and inclusion. When visiting customers, take a moment before entering their home to greet them with a smile, a friendly hello and eye contact. If your customers are with someone else, introduce yourself in front of them and make sure that they are aware you are doing so (no need to do this if it is obvious that the other person is your customer).
3) Make it count - Don't leave them hanging without letting them know how you plan on improving their day from here on out. The key to memorable moments is to make them count. If a customer feels like they've been forgotten, they will probably be less likely to return. If you can get your customers to return, their loyalty will increase and they will love you for it.
4) Come up with a specific plan - Having some type of plan or strategy before approaching your customer helps you understand how best to go about it. You'll know what lines or approaches are best suited for the kinds of customer you're dealing with and how best to approach them within those parameters. You'll also know where the "tipping point" is, defining when things are just right or wrong and letting your customers know this without having to find that out through trial and error.
5) Offer the right solution - There's no point in asking the most obvious questions if you don't know what information you're looking for. If you only ask customers probing questions such as "How was your experience today?", it may leave them with the impression that they are being interrogated rather than simply asked a question they're interested in hearing the answer to. Instead, let your customer guide you. In many cases they'll begin to tell you exactly what it is they need or want and act like a tour guide of sorts taking you on a journey through their life to help you understand their perspective better.
6) Greet them with a smile - It's important to let customers know that they are important to you and that they are important to you because of who they are, not just what it is you're trying to sell them. Simply saying "Hello" will go a long way.
7) Show that you care - If customers can feel that their problems or opinions matter as much to you as your own, it will have a positive effect on their perception of your business. You'd be surprised at how much this simple act can make a difference.
8) Give them good news - Good news is often a rare commodity for customers and they will take any opportunity to hear some. The next time you have some positive information to share, make sure your customer is the first person to find out by sharing it with them first.
9) Show respect for their time - Don't waste precious time that you could be spending on someone else. If you can't provide what they are looking for, don't keep them waiting just because you think there may be more potential commission in helping them than in helping other people with similar issues.
10) Listen carefully - If you don't know what they are saying, ask questions and let them finish. Anything you ask them will be better than making assumptions (the most likely outcome if they don't know the answer). Save your questions for when you genuinely have a question to ask.
11) Get to the core of their needs - Ask your customer what it is that they need and sell them on that. Don't make up designs or features just to sell more products or services- use these opportunities to find out what will really help them achieve their goals.
12) Be bold - You'll never know if someone's going to buy from you until you ask. If you don't ask, you'll never sell.
Author: Jason Kreher
[/ARTICLE]
__________
About the Author: Jason Kreher is an author, blogger and entrepreneur. He co-authored a best selling book called "The Dirty Dozen - 12 Tips to Make 'Moments of Truth' Count" published in 2013 by Running Press. The Dirty Dozen is a simple idea with a profound purpose - providing people with the tools they need to make every moment of their lives as special as it can be. Find out more about this book at Amazon . You can also follow him on Facebook , Twitter or Google+ . Interested in reading more? Check out his portfolio here .
Posted by Jason Kreher at 12:33 PM
Discussion Question:
Would you be interested in reading more from our Dirty Dozen series? If so, what is your favorite tip and why?
We'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment below or join the discussion on Twitter .
About The Author: As a blogger and entrepreneur, Jason Kreher contributes to popular blogs like The Huffington Post and Entrepreneur . He is also the author of the best selling book The Dirty Dozen - 12 Tips to Make 'Moments of Truth' Count" published in 2013 by Running Press. He has successfully rebranded himself several times over and has built a business around this philosophy. Find out more about Jason at his website.
Posted By: Business Blogging at 9:00 PM
About The Author: As a blogger and entrepreneur, Jason Kreher contributes to popular blogs like The Huffington Post and Entrepreneur . He is also the author of the best selling book The Dirty Dozen - 12 Tips to Make 'Moments of Truth' Count" published in 2013 by Running Press. He has successfully rebranded himself several times over and has built a business around this philosophy. Find out more about Jason at his website.
Posted By: Business Blogging at 9:04 PM
About The Author: As a blogger and entrepreneur, Jason Kreher contributes to popular blogs like The Huffington Post and Entrepreneur . He is also the author of the best selling book The Dirty Dozen - 12 Tips to Make 'Moments of Truth' Count" published in 2013 by Running Press. He has successfully rebranded himself several times over and has built a business around this philosophy. Find out more about Jason at his website.
Posted By: Business Blogging at 9:23 AM
Be a part of something bigger and share this article on:
Among entrepreneurs you'll find some of the most insightful and knowledgeable people in any industry or field. What's even more impressive is that they're usually working on solving problems that they've faced themselves, which allows them to bring a unique perspective to challenges others are often afraid or unwilling to tackle head on.
Conclusion
The Dirty Dozen is a simple idea with a profound purpose - providing people with the tools they need to make every moment of their lives as special as it can be. What better way to start a business than by helping others achieve their goals, right? And what's even more important than giving them something they need is to make this help feel like someone is actually listening to them and has their best interest in mind. As you can see, things won't always turn out perfect in business, but these tips should give you the best possible chance of doing so. And remember, what goes around comes around.