How customers get their impressions of individuals and businesses and the ideas, information, services or products they offer

Not that they are so different, but people and firms tend to divide themselves into two categories of business, that is, business-to-consumer and business-to-business selling situations. Firms in each of these situations need to be aware that without a constancy in the ways customers learn of them customers will get a murky view of who is doing the offering and the products and services they offer.

Consistency or the lack of same can have a great influence on whether or not a sale will be made or the time it takes to make a sale. Purchases are put off or not made because the impressions are not clear or questions are left unanswered.

In business-to-consumer selling situations, business influence their customers opinions or customers get their opinions through:

1. Mass Media: Newspapers, Books, Magazines, Movies, Radio, &Television, and the Internet by past, current and future resources of products and services.
2. Display Presentations: Location, Signage, Window/Counter/Shelf, Environment, Attire, Printed Materials and Web Page Layouts.
3. One-on-One -- In-Person, Letter, Telephone, Fax, E-mail
4. Follow-up -- In-Person, Letter, Telephone, Fax, E-mail
5. Indirectly through someone else who has made their opinions through to experiences with the above four sources.

In business-to-business in inter-business selling situations, businesses and people influence other's opinions or others get their opinions from:

1. Potential, Current, & Past Suppliers of products and services: their management, agents, brochures/ catalogs, trade media, at trade shows, conventions, and meetings.
2. In-House: staff and management's wants, needs, ideas, and previous experiences - both positive & negative.
3. The Media: newspapers, books, magazines, movies, radio, & television, Internet.
4. Other People: family, friends, associates, acquaintances, customers, competitors, and others in their industry.
5. Customers' personal shopping experiences -- both positive & negative.

So now the question is, "What is the prime purpose for an individual or business to use any or all of these presentation methods?" The two most common answers are, "to make a sale" or "to teach or inform." Actually, these are secondary reasons. The prime reason of any presentation is to have a positive influence on the "future conversations" a bisiness's past, current or prospective customers have with others when the firm or person doing the offering is not there to direct or control the conversation. If a conversation or the prospect of having such a conversation is not positive, most likely the sale will not be made.

Customers' future conversations can take place in three time elements or phases:

The first phase is called the "prior conversation." This is the conversations or inputs someone has before the customer comes into contact with the seller or the seller's products or services. If the conversation is negative, most likely it will jump to the third phase and the sale will not be made.

The second phase, which can only happen if the first phase is positive, is called "interval conversations" -- conversations customers may have with others between any two exposures to the products or services under consideration. As long as these interval conversations stay positive, the better the chance that the customer will buy what is being offered. Once a conversation becomes negative, it automatically becomes the third phase.

But eventually all conversations get to the "post conversation." This is the conversation customers have after the product or service has been rejected, or bought and put to use. It is also during this phase that a decision to keep, continue using, recommend or return the product or discontinue the service is made.

Most conversations about products and services turn negative when questions are posed that customers do not have the answers for. These questions, called "hard questions," can be divided into 10 topics. I call the answers to these questions, "The 10 Tools Of Selling." The answers are the tools customers need in order to keep their conversations about products and services positive. Not having one answer may not kill the sale; not having two or more most likely will.

1. Who makes the product and/or who is offering it? What is their history? Where do they fit into the marketplace? If it is a brand name it is "who makes it and offers it?" If not a brand name the question is: "who offers it?"
2. How is the product made or how did the idea or service come about?
3. What is it made of or what does the idea or service consist of?
4. How will others see the product or think about the idea or service?
5. Why and how is the idea, service, or product different from what others have to offer or the seller has to offer? What makes it better?
6. When, where, how, and by whom will it be used?
7. What kind of care will it require? What does the customer have to do to make it work or last longer?
8. Product or service design and longevity: what are the roots of what is being offered and how long will it last or be in vogue?
9. How does it fit into what the customer is doing, planning to do, or would like to do?
10. How does it fit into the customer's budgets of time, space, effort, and/or money?

How many different kinds of exposures done how many times does it take to give customers the answers to the above questions? Go back and look at the different methods business can use to get the answers to these questions into customers' hands. Which are you using? Which do you need to add?

But that is not all that comes into play. There are many thoughts, or soft questions, swirling around in customers' minds that may never come out into the open. Nevertheless, they need to be taken into consideration. Customers and those they talk to are thinking:

1. Am I being asked to buy something I know nothing about from someone I know nothing about?
2. Does this person really know what they're talking about? Where did they get their information? Should I be talking to someone else to get the right information?
3. Does/will the person I'm talking to look at my questions or request as unimportant or dumb?
4. Will they or are they using language or terms I can't understand?
5. Are they trying to sell me what is best for them to sell rather than what is best for me to use?
6. Will they be giving me the information I need and is it in a format I can use when I discuss the products or services I'm interested in? How will others view what I have received?
7. Do they understand how I am going to be using it -- for personal use, for passing it on to others visually, physically or verbally or for conversion into something esles?
8. Are there hidden costs not associated with the prices I'm being quoted?
9. Is there better or more information, services or products available?
10. Will I be able to get additional information, services or products if needed and, if so, where, how and when can I get it?

Answering customers' questions before they are asked the question by others will help customers overcome their three buying fears -- their fear of their own lack of knowledge, the fear of the seller's lack of knowledge, and the fear of being criticized for buying, contemplating buying or agreeing to buy any product or service. When these fears are overcome, customers and those they talk to will feel that they are or will be a better person in their own eyes or others' eyes for championing the product or service under consideration. That's what keep conversations positive -- and makes sales!

About the Author

Alan J. Zell, Ambassador Of Selling, has become nationally recognized for his expertise in advising businesses, services, educational, governmental, and organizational entities. Clients seeking his services represent a wide spectrum including accountants, investors, educators, chambers of commerce, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, associations, and non-profit organizations.
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azell@aol.com
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