A sales coach once told me that if you asked them, every client would let you know how to sell to them. She was right.
If you’ve ever owned a business, you’ve had some point in your marketing research where you’ve imagined your perfect client. My original imagination included things like what they’d want to build, where they’d want to build, how they’d want to build, and the big kicker, why they’d want to build? You may, as that imaginative business owner, have to one day decide that it’s a whole lot less about what your imagined ideal clients are like than it is about “Who really buys what I’m selling?” And what are they actually like, instead of what do I wish they were like? Dependent on your obsession, you may consider what they drive, what radio stations they listen to, what books they read, and whether or not they’re on Facebook. You may even pay a marketing company to research all of the above and more and then wonder what in the world you’re going to do with the information that they all watch CSI:Miami. (I still don’t know.) All of this external research and imagination has value, but the best tool I know of by far is listening directly to your clients.
I started really listening about four years ago. I wasn’t naturally good at it, I at one point concluded that I never would be good at sales. I’m a steak guy, not a sizzle guy. Most of my pauses in conversation are me deciding just how honest I should be with you at this moment. I like that about myself, didn’t want to learn to be a back patter or double hand shaker. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) I’ve forged a peaceful compromise though, and have learned to actually love the challenge/opportunity of connecting with people. Am I a salesman for Frameworks Timber? I suppose so, yes, but more than that I believe I’m an advocate for people who want to build a house that really means something to them. And to find out what really means something to someone, you have to listen.
2010 was a really great year for Frameworks Timber. We got to actually build for several clients who are my current ideal clients. Now here’s the interesting part: The ideal client, more than anything else, is one we end up really forging a connection with. First we listen to what they’re really after, then we deliver it. It turns out to be a real kick in the pants watching clients get what they wanted and more. The first business day of 2011, I got an email from a lead who described what they need, and if I’m listening correctly, what they want is us! It’s going to be another good year.