If you search for ‘Coffee’ in Wikipedia you can view a list of the different types of coffee beverages; there are 64. They range from affogato, to espresso, to flat white… and something apparently called Wiener Melange! What ever happened to plain old coffee?
I’ve got a confession to make. I’m actually a bit of a coffee addict. I’ll line up and order my double shot skinny latte every morning from the same coffee shop, the barista knows me by name, and they know that I’ll order my sourdough toast with vegemite along with that coffee every other day. The truth is I didn’t grow up when coffee was just coffee. I grew up in a time where coffee was a cappuccino, or a latte.
The point of all of this is not to discuss my infatuation with coffee, but to highlight the endless choice available to the consumers you are marketing to. Long gone are the days where a rock solid product or exceptional service is enough. To succeed today you need to connect, you need to inspire people. And if you fail at this, inevitably you will be just another needle in the haystack, doomed to wither away in the distance.
How to start connecting with customers like never before
Let’s have a look at two practical things that will put you on the pathway to authentically connecting with customers.
- Know yourself – Why do you do what you do? Would anyone care if you ceased to exist tomorrow?
- Know your customers – What are the challenges they face every single day? What do they aspire to achieve in life?
A great inspiration of mine is Simon Sinek. In his book ‘Start with WHY’ he talks about how inspirational companies communicate from the ‘inside out’. They know exactly why they do what they do, their purpose and core values. Once they know that, they find a way of connecting with customers who believe what they believe.
If you want to break through the clutter of today’s society and connect with the right people, understand what purpose you are here to progress. Marketing to people who don’t believe in what you do, or why you do it, is a sure fire way of progressing your competitors. If this sounds anything like you, unfortunately you have two ultimate choices; get new customers, or change you’re reason for existence.
Many people think that it is getting harder and harder to create a genuine connection with customers. But in fact there are more chances than ever before to connect. Take social media as an example; you or I can observe a customer on Twitter that we have never met before and who has never heard of what we have to offer. Before interacting with them we have an opportunity to know just about everything we need to know about their hopes, dreams, fears and challenges in life. And then, once you know all of that you can make a choice to connect with them in a way that HELPS them overcome or fulfil those things.
Those that aren’t connecting with customers on a more personal level than ever are missing the greatest opportunity marketers have seen for centuries. And those that say it is getting harder are just making excuses.
Know exactly what purpose you are here to progress, and start connecting with customers in a way that fulfils their greatest dreams and overcomes their inner most fears.
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About the author
Will Blunt is the Founder here at Blogger Sidekick and Managing Editor at both JeffBullas.com and Bluewire Media. Get in touch to schedule a one-on-one chat and discuss how we can help you build an authority blog, without burning out or spending your whole budget.
