As entrepreneurs, we have a tendency to fall in love with our own brands, and the products and/or services we offer. And that’s great — until we start neglecting our customers!
Are you truly listening to your consumers, or are you simply trying to convince them that your product is the one? The difference between these two actions may seem subtle, but it is the difference between a sale and a relationship, which could, in turn, be the difference between a brand that lasts and one that doesn’t.
In order to engage in market research most effectively, it may be best for you as the founder/ creator to take a step back. Delegate outreach responsibilities to an objective, outside party, in an effort to avoid any potential bias and gain a useful perspective. Otherwise, you may just be falling into conversation bias.
Does a problem truly exist, or are you trying to create a problem just to sell the solution? Sometimes the best thing you can do as a business leader is to take a step back and admit that you cannot be the solution for everything and figure out a better way.
The key to uncovering whether a solution is, in fact, a solution, is to identify how your product or service relates to your customers’ pain points. How does your product/service contribute to your client’s growth? Are you paying regular attention to your audience’s feedback, or are you disseminating your product and never looking back?
In order to communicate effectively and show up for your customers, you need the right information, which requires collaboration, engagement, and, of course, feedback.
Sometimes, the most important thing you can know is what you don’t know. The most successful entrepreneurs take the knowledge of where their gaps are, in order to find the right help to help their brand continue to thrive.
Most companies just sell their product and move on, failing to build a lasting relationship with their customer base. However, the only way to truly understand what your clients need, and to provide a fitting solution, is to build that relationship. The better you are able to understand your customer, the more effectively you can mold your solution, service or product to fit exactly what they need. From there, check in regularly to determine whether or not the solution is it's really working and healing the customer’s pain point, as intended.
For more insights from interviews with JJ Richa & Nick Panhwar, visit businessgrowthcafe.com.
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