Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

Bad Business Assumption:Assuming You know The Perrception The Customer Has Of You

Bad Business Assumption:Assuming You know The Perrception The Customer Has Of You

I was doing a five-day sales training program for a company located in a very small town in South Carolina. One of those small quaint towns with a population of just over ten thousand, one road through the town with only a half dozen traffic lights. I was lodging at the In Town Hotel. The only hotel in the town. Each evening, as I had my dinner on a very lovely deck attached to the side of the hotel facing the main shopping area, I watched a dozen or so children ranging in age from six to twelve years old ride their bikes into town and go into a candy store across the street. The candy store on the right side of the cross street. There was also a candy store on the left side of the cross street, but they never went into that store. Each evening it was the same routine. They would ride up to the front of the candy store on the right side, park their bikes, go into the candy store and a few minutes later emerge with a white bag of candy.

On my third evening of observing them, I got curious as to why they never shopped at the candy store on the left side of the street. Well, my curiosity got the best of me, and on my final evening at the hotel I went across the street and asked one of them, "Why do you guys always buy your candy from this candy store and not the one across the street?" The young boy replied as he pointed to the candy store across the street, "They take our candy away from us."

Now my curiosity was at an all-time high so I went into the candy store in front of me and ordered a half pound of dark chocolate. The lady behind the counter put on one of those plastic gloves and took a small scoop, and she scooped candy onto the scale until the dial went up to one half pound. She then lifted the scale dish and put my candy into a white bag.

I then went across the street to the candy store the young boy said takes their candy away. As I went up to the counter a nice lady asked if she could help me. I said, "Please give me a half pound of dark chocolate." I noticed her price was a cent lower than the other store. She put on her plastic glove and took a large scoop, and she put a large amount of candy on the scale. Then, with her gloved hand, she began to take candy off the scale, taking candy away until the weight got down to one half pound.

Are your customers perceiving you as the one who adds to the value of their purchase or the one who takes the candy away?

Here is an exercise to determine how you are perceived:
First, have everyone in your business write down how you want to be perceivedby your customers. Have everyone do it because you want to make sure you all want to be perceived the same way.

Then, survey your customers to discover how you are perceived. Hire others (college kids) to do the survey, because your customers will tell you what you want to hear. Have your customers and non-customers surveyed. If you are not being perceived the way you want, do things to change the customer's and prospect's perception.

6 Perceptions customers react positively to:
1. Businesses that look successful - People like to do business with successful businesses. No one wants to take the chance of buying from a business that may not be there tomorrow.

2. Businesses that look busy - People like to buy from businesses that look busy. When we had sales in our retail businesses, we hired people (usually college students) to walk around the showroom to give the perception something really big was going on.

3. Businesses that look clean - People would rather buy from businesses and business people that look clean and neat. We gave customers the perception of quality in our retread tires by making sure our manufacturing plant was clean enough to eat off the floor.

4. Businesses that look like they care about their customers - "Be 100% Customer-Centered" Everything you say and do is about your customer, not you or the business.
1. Answer the telephone on the first or second ring.
2. Return telephone calls and messages quicker than promptly.
3. Greet everyone that comes into the business immediately.
4. Solve the customer's problems, needs and wants even if it creates more work for you.
5. Businesses that stay in touch with their Customers "Stay in touch with your customers, and they will stay in touch with you when a buying decision is made." It is estimated that your customers are inundated with 2500 to 3500 advertising messages a day. They become confused. If you are the seller that has been the constant in staying in touch with them, you will be their seller of choice. Stay in touch with your customers through advertisements, thank you cards, holiday cards, personal cards and letters, information that will improve their lives
and/or business.

6. Businesses that take the FEAR out of buying.
One of the 4 biggest fears a customer has that causes
them NOT to make a purchase is the FEAR OF LOSS OF THEIR MONEY. And it is so simple to diminish the fear of loss of money. Give your buyers a money back GUARANTEE, not just the manufacturer's guarantee on the products you sell. Your competitors are offering the manufacturer's guarantee. Be different, be aggressive, be the one that gets the sale by giving your personal and your business guarantee.





Bad Business AssumptionAssuming You know The Perrception The Customer Has Of You - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Janet's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

David Barr
David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

Casey Gollan
Casey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website

Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website

Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas.  We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing
- Visit Jeff Foster's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Cheryl Matthynssens

Cheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur.  Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well.  A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles.  She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide-  to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being.  Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com

- Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


Bob Janet
(Visit Bob's Website) ooks and CD’s at http://www.BobJanet.comBob Janet uses 40 plus years of face-to-face selling and marketing experiences as owner / operator of wholesale, retail, manufacturing and service businesses, combined with his unique content loaded, fun-entertaining audience involved keynotes and seminars to help owners, sales professionals and sales support staff increase sales and profits by gaining and retaining their most profitable customers. When everyone else tells you what to do to increase your sales and profits...Bob Janet shows you how!! See all Bob's sales growth programs and top selling sales / marketing books and CD's www.BobJanet.com Bob Janet Bob@BobJanet.com 800-286-1203 www.BobJanet.com

Bob Janet is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Bob Janet's

Complete
List Of
Sales
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Bob Janet's Complete List of Sales Articles For FREE!

More Bob Janet
A Luxury Once Had Becomes A Necessity
Market to them until they Buy or until they Die
How to create Word Of Mouth Advertising
What Does Good Service Mean To You To Your Customer
Do you keep the customer when the bread is moldy
Selling swimming pools is the same as selling what you sell
The Clock Starts Ticking How not to bomb out with waiting customers
A Real Bad Business Assumption
Opportunity Does Fall Into Your Lap
Aggressive is not a 4 letter word
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
George Ludwig  
Joe Dager  
Leanne Hoagland-Smith  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Self-Employment Guide Icon Self-Employment Guide
How Search Engines Work Icon How Search Engines Work
The Evolution Of Networking Icon The Evolution Of Networking
Red Realestate CSS Template Icon Red Realestate CSS Template
Different QuickBooks Versions Icon Different QuickBooks Versions
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Top 50 Political Blogs
Top 50 Political Blogs
Top Political Blogs of 2009
 
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Bapane Nsurebe Elmina, Ghana,
Bapane Nsurebe
Elmina, Ghana
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Robert Iachetta, $372k to $921k in 2 years
Robert Iachetta
$372k to $921k in 2 years
Razor Suleman, $143k to $5.4 Mil in 5 years
Razor Suleman
$143k to $5.4 Mil in 5 years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks
Steven Spielberg
DreamWorks
Donald Trump, Trump Org.
Donald Trump
Trump Org.
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Jeffrey Gitomer, The Sales Bible
Jeffrey Gitomer
The Sales Bible
Brad Feld, Venture Capitalist
Brad Feld
Venture Capitalist
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     What Is A Solo Entrepreneur?
By Terri Zwierzynski
     Differentiation – Smart Marketing Strategies for the Solo Entrepreneur
By Terri Zwierzynski
     Your Ideal Client – A Key Concept for Solo Business Marketing
By Terri Zwierzynski

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information