How to communicate with customers, if all around you are lying

Imagine that you are playing a game of darts. Do you have a certain number of darts, and you need to hit the target. It would seem quite an easy task. That's just in front of you a bandage and you just drove for half a minute in the room and several times twisted in different directions. You do not even know which way is the target. What are you going to do? Throwing at random? Or…?

Business blindfolded

This situation is very similar to the situation in which you start your business. You go out to the market with a blindfold. Dart - this is your product. Target - is the need of your customers.

90% of entrepreneurs are beginning to throw their food, darts in all directions. They have convinced themselves that they know where the target is. They came up with his target, and do their best to hit it. Here are just a small supply of darts. Not got time, I do not hit another dart over. Ended energy, money, desire, and the next startup with zero auditors sent into oblivion.

When you go to the market or seek to solve a problem, you need to find out the real needs of customers. Your vision may be very different from what you need your customers really are. And instead of having to go to the market and talk to customers, you are building a castle from the virtual sand.

It should still say a few words in your excuse - if you do not know how to ask the right questions, your customers will lie to you! Sand would be realistic, but the essence does not change. To understand this, let's use the following technique.

Mamin test

Mom will always support you in all your endeavors, even if she did not understand why and what you are offering them. And it was she who, in most cases, tends to lie even more than all of your customers. Because my mother loves you, proud and does not want to offend you. Here is a typical conversation startups with her mother:

You: Mom, I have a business idea. Do you have 5 minutes to listen to her?
She: Of course, my dear.
What she thinks: (I am proud of you and do not want to hurt your feelings)

You: You love your iPad and it seems often use?
She: Yes, a great thing.
What she thinks: (I use it to check email-s, lying on the couch)

You: Do you have bought the app-cookbook?
She: I love cookbooks, sounds good. Will it vegetarian recipes? Or some recipes for Christmas?
What she thinks: (So, I already have a paper cookbook. I do not need a computer in my kitchen - and suddenly it is stained. But if my child will make an application, I'll definitely try it. Application? I never bought the app! It's necessary to enter your credit card details? I'll try to change the subject ...)

Hearing such a phrase "I love cookbooks, sounds good" on his client, you think you have received confirmation of his ideas. In fact, you are just asking the wrong questions.

How to ask questions to potential customers?

1. Never ask their opinions, especially about your idea

You do not need an opinion, do not need their compliments, do not need confirmation of your genius. This should be your ego. People will be easier to tell you the truth, they will not be afraid to hurt you or how you proreagiruete their assessment. Therefore, temporarily move your ego and thirsty approval genius in your back pocket, you now need concrete facts.

People try to be nice to you. Therefore, they will lie to your face, without giving it much importance.

2. Ask them about their lives

How do you live? What are your problems? How did you solve them? In some cases they remain unsolved? What could be the perfect solution to your problem? People love to talk about themselves and their problems, and you will hear the real stories and the difficulties encountered by your customers in life.

3. Ask them about something particular that happened in the past

You: Mom, when did you last used the iPad-th?
For what?
Have you ever used it in the kitchen?
Have you ever bought an application? What kind? What for? How many?
You use cookbooks?
Is there anything that you do not like / inconvenience to them?
What a cook book was that you bought last time? When? What for?

Use the questions to which you are afraid to hear the answers. Deep down you are afraid that your idea may be too weak. Therefore, you ask the wrong questions, and then run implement his plan, until you no one talked.

What should be the communication with the customer?

If possible, make it an informal chat. The problem is that you perceive an appointment with a client as an important sots.opros or as a possible deal, not as communication. Ideally, you need to meet with your potential customers in an informal setting and ask him 3 important questions that interest you. Remember, first you ask your customers questions, then you sell them. What they deysvitelno need, not what you came up with for them.

Listen more talk less

Listen to most of the time and ask questions. Your customer is everything and so will tell you. Do not try to put pressure on the customer in your communication and in something to convince him.

The biggest mistake - you go out on the street to ask the opinion of your product, and start the pitch man, instead of understanding that it does not like and what they need.
And you persuade and convince the person until he says something like - "yes, that's a great idea, let me know when to run." Bruising dozen people your brilliant idea, you run to create a product, and as a result - 0 of sales.

If the consumer in the process of communication any ideas

It happens that during a conversation, you do start to talk about their products and solutions. Client all like, and it offers to add some option or a chip.

IMPORTANT: You can not talk to customers, what is their problem, but they do not need to tell you that you should create. Instead, ask your customer: Why do you want? It will allow you to do? How will you manage without it? How do you think we should delay the launch, to add this option or we can add it later?

It is not necessary to talk with the client about his ideas without specifics. And never say something like: "What a great idea. We are sure it will realize, and you're sure we buy. Agreed? "

In dialogue aiming to ensure that the customer assumed the obligation or express their commitment to

Remember, there are only 2 possible results of the meeting:

1. The meeting failed. You have learned a lot and save money.
2. The meeting was a success. You have received the necessary information and outlined the client's problem.

If your meeting "went well", it failed. If the client says: "Cool, I like it.
Let me know when you run. I would definitely buy "- do not build a rainbow plans. This means nothing. Client feed you ideas and promises, uttered compliments, but your further cooperation is still not determined.

He would like to buy in the future? Have now to pre-order. And look at his reaction. Maybe he lied to you.

Therefore, in any conversation with the customer asking him about a small undertaking. The client indicates that it is important your work and gives something valuable - time, money, or reputation. Also ask him about his readiness to take the next step. The meeting will also be successful if the client will move on to your conversion script and close to the deal.

The client may express their commitment to

1. Resolution again contact the person
2. Clear agreement to meet again
3. Presentation of the decision maker
4. Consent to use the trial version
5. Predpokupka

And if I'm not going to meet with the client and call? He can answer the 3 questions on the phone?

If you are lazy, afraid of people, you never talk to strangers uncles and did not leave the house in 12 years - call. Be prepared for the fact that:

• Communication will be formally
• You miss the body language
• You will not be friends and will continue to call into the cold

But perhaps you still get the information you need!

The main purpose of such cold contacts - to stop to deal with them as quickly as possible by finding out the information you need.

Who are your customers?

Segment the market and start with a small segment. All the big companies started with a small group of customers, and gradually extended to large groups of users.

Taking a few audiences, it turns out that different customers want, and you will seek one product to satisfy everyone.

If you work for all, you are not qualitatively work for anybody, so choose a particular segment of customers with a clear problem. Scale will be, when you learn how to communicate with customers and identify their problems.

How to segment your audience?

Your problem is that you do not know where to find your customers. Your problem is that you are targeting to work with everyone.

• What is your customer problem or goal?
• This is of concern to all or only some of the clients?
• Within the target group, what people want it most?
• All will want to buy, to use your product or just some?
• What do these people have to reach their goal or solve a problem?
• Who influences their opinions to solve this problem? (Opinion leaders, experts, publications)
• What is the solution for them would be ideal?
• What price they are willing to pay for a solution to the problem?
• What is the main factor in the decision?
• Where you can find people who behave the same way?

Thus, you highlight some of your audience segments. Select the segment that will be:

1. The most profitable (for example, people with high incomes)
2. Easily accessible (there are specialized community resources, media, where you can advertise and interact with clients)
3. Will create on the basis of his business (potential customers enough to provide you with orders)

We find customer contact

Immerse yourself in the environment inhabited by your target customers. Create a subscription page, to organize meetings and public appearances, create a blog and publish useful materials on the subject. Look around, most likely in your environment already have those people that interest you. Come up with a good excuse - I'm writing an article or study - and ask the questions that interest you.

Meet with opinion leaders in this area, ask them to introduce you to them or recommended. You can contact with anyone if you are persistent enough.

Use your data

Prepare for meetings with your team:

• Select the 3-5 most important issues at the moment (if the answer can be obtained from Google, google and pick another question)
• Read the profiles of social networks of your future companion
• Write your assumptions about a person in order to confirm or refute them at a meeting
• Decide what you want to ask the person. For any action or liability to induce.

What to look for in the communication?

Notice the emotions of your interlocutor. Problems, goals, work on current projects, facts, ideas, requests, budget / purchase process, follow-up tasks, companies or individuals that are referenced. Try to take notes in the communication process.

After communion, review your notes. Draw conclusions, modify or update your questions. How can you get the best results when communicating with other clients?

How many meetings should be held?

If you know your audience, the problem is simple, and the selected segment is small - spend 3-5 meetings with potential clients. If the market is large enough, the problem remains to be determined, and it is necessary to deal with the target audience - start with 10 meetings and constantly pursue new, until you find the answers to all your questions.

SUMMARY

Training:

• consumer segmentation
• What we want to know or learn anything? - this information must reach your team, not to stay in the depths of your consciousness.

Actions:

• Stick everyday communication
• Ask specific questions appropriate, ask about the specific experience of your customers.
• Avoid non-specific information - compliments, generalizations, hypotheses.

Material processing:

• Facts
• customer commitment, which he expresses (money, reputation, time, willingness to act)
• New contacts for communication

CONCLUSION

You're standing right in front of your target. Your hand is at the required level for a throw, you know the exact distance to the target, your dart aimed at the target. You ask the right questions to the people who support you. You still blindfolded, but you know where to shoot. You just have to give others what they want - to hit the target with a blindfold. Good luck!