This post is all about how to increase your sales and profits, by matching your actions to your promises.
Marketing & trust
Trust plays a BIG part in sales and marketing. That’s because we buy from people we trust. It’s also why testimonials and referrals are such powerful marketing tools. They provide a short cut to the trust building process. Even if you don’t know a service provider, the fact that a friend recommends them to you, immediately makes you massively more likely to do business with them, than with a stranger.
Marketing & consistency
There has been a lot written about the importance of building trust, yet very, very few marketing professionals ever mention one of the most important elements in the trust-building process. Consistency.
Even if a person or company has been recommended to you, you are unlikely to go ahead and use their services if they seem inconsistent, when you speak with them or check them out. For example, if Bob recommends an accountant to you, but when you call them you are left waiting for ages before an uninterested person answers the phone, you still won’t use them. That’s because there’s a lack of consistency between what you have been told and what you have experienced. This causes confusion and in marketing we know that a confused mind ALWAYS says NO!
Consistency & image
Many businesses (of all sizes), think that this consistency problem can be overcome by investing in a snazzy new logo and some well designed marketing material. Banks and phone companies are a great example of this. They will often invest a fortune (millions) on beautifully designed websites, brochures and commercials – only for you to find that when you call them, you are placed in a queue, before your call is transferred to someone who’s clearly not interested and usually reading from a script or check list!
Whilst it’s REALLY important to invest in great design, this is only part of the challenge. You also need to make sure that a prospective client’s experience of your business is consistent with that polished, professional image.
Marketing & customer service go hand in hand
Why not take a look at the overall experience a prospective client is likely to encounter, when connecting with your business? Examine every part of the process. This should include (though not exclusively), things like; how you deal with their initial email enquiry or phone call, how you handle the initial meeting and the follow-up.
How does their experience in these areas match up with your marketing promises of great customer service? Remembering all the while that GREAT customer service means that you offer significantly better customer service than your competitors! Every business I have ever studied promises great customer service, yet most provide an average service at best. They seem to do as little as they can ‘get away with’ – when they should be constantly searching for better ways to improve their customer’s experience.
This simple exercise should be expanded to include how well you look after your existing clients too – that’s if you intend keeping them! Right now, with so many businesses really struggling, your competitors are working harder than ever to persuade your clients / customers to switch to THEM.
When you decide to offer truly great customer service you; add value to your service, generate more referrals, win more new business and just as importantly, retain more of your existing clients / customers too.
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Jim, you are spot on — matching actions to promises is key to gaining the trust of customers and prospects. Smart leaders understand this concept and right now are working to ensure their organizations are aligning their message with their products and services. They are delivering a consistent, clear message to their market. They realize that when a customer makes a purchase they are ultimately buying the people, not the products or services. -Michael
Yes, good points.
I’d be a rich man if I had a pound for every company who says “One of our USP’s is that we deliver excellent customer service”
1. I’d bet that they don’t REALLY deliver excellent customer service and that it’s somewhere between 7 and 8 out of 10
and
2. Excellent customer service is not a USP because it’s a given in today’s demanding world! And every company says they do it so it’s not unique!
Trust is built by delivering on your promises.
It’s not about under promising and over delivering though – that’s not ethical. Instead you “wow” your clients with accurate promises and then knock their socks off!
That is, if you want to be the main player in your industry!
Sean McPheat
The Sales Jedi
MTD Sales Blog
Great post, Jim. Recurrently fulfilling on promises is the key to succeeding in the service game. The best way to establish a positive identity.
more thinking on this at http:// thebusinessofservice.org/?p=137
I have been giving a lot of thought lately about how to communicate trust. It is one thing to know that you will do a good job, another to get potentials to believe it.
I agree that the best way to earn trust is to consistently deliver. That is how we build trust in relationships, why should it be any different in businesses?
Sean – I am not sure how overdelivering can be seen as unethical. I think we should always try to overdeliver, no matter how high our promises are in the first place. On the other hand, if you set expectations too high, and you fall just short, you are not going to get too much credit for trying. I think overpromising is a bad habit of insecure salesmen (yes, I would fit into this description). Be secure in who you are and what you can reasonably do – then strive to do even better.
Some great comments here!
Thanks,
Jim
Bradford
It’s not hard to overdeliver on most of the promises that are made nowadays!
“Under promising and overdelivering” is archaic and if someone knowingly under promises then “over delivers” then that is unethical.
I set very high expectations not “reasonable” ones and then I go out to blitz them. That’s what I believe in and why I continually raise the bar.
Am I insecure because I over promise? No way. I believe in what I do. Does that mean that I dont get the credit when I fallshort sometimes? Absolutely. But I believe in doing things the right way and all of the results I’ve achieved and those for my clients have backed that up
Sean
Spot on, Jim. Marketing creates a preconception about your business. The customer’s experience has to match up with that experience or the marketing investment is wasted.
Sean – I see where you are coming from. I think there is bigger problem of sales people overpromising knowing full well that they will underdeliver.
I don’t see a lot of people setting expectations too low, otherwise how would they get business?
What I don’t think you should do is promise everything and the kitchen sink. Promise what you know you can deliver consistently, and you’re golden.
I appreciate that you always go above and beyond, as do I. I think you can communicate this without painting yourself into a corner with a customer.
Jim
Taking the thought a step further – isnt that the essence of truly great companies – integrity? Integrity in walking the talk and living up to what is promised. It may not be the biggest or flashiest brand name on the market – but does it care and does it deliver? I believe companies where leaders show integrity and honesty build a culture of trust and integrity which in turn ultimately translates into customer experience – and retention.