Are you ever worried about giving away too much information?
In the "old days" before the Internet, it was easy for a business to hold back information. In fact, the common thinking used to be that an educated consumer would choose to do the job himself and not hire you, so educating the consumer meant losing a sale.
Information Overload
Nowadays, we live in the era of information overload thanks to the abundance of information available on the Internet. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do or what your business does, information is readily available on any topic. All it takes is a bit of searching, and you can easily compare companies, products, and services. It does no good to hold back information. In fact, it can be to your detriment.
Rather than looking at giving information away as a problem, businesses should look at sharing knowledge with the prospective customer as an opportunity to increase its credibility and trust. The more people know about you and your company, the easier it is to start building a relationship with you.
The Internet is actually an incredibly easy way to start building relationships with your perspective customer by simply sharing knowledge and being willing to have an open dialogue.
Website Content
A website could be looked upon as a marketing tool or a sales tool, but in reality it is a tool to build relationships. Well-written website content will speak directly to your target audience in a way that captures their attention. It should also start a dialogue to build trust.
The home page of a website is an opportunity to show that a business has the knowledge and understanding of how to solve the customer's problems. It needs to quickly and efficiently address the number one problem of the prospective customer. At the same time it needs to convince them to go deeper into the website to gather more information.
The use of testimonials on the home page, as well as throughout the website, is a powerful tool for building trust and credibility. A recent study by ServiceXRG showed that "During the past holiday season, consumers who recalled seeing customer reviews on a website reported 9% higher customer satisfaction levels, were 9% more likely to make a purchase and 8% more likely to purchase the next time they came to that site."
E-mail Content
If your company is using e-mail as simply a sales tool, you are missing out on a huge opportunity for relationship building with your customers and prospective customers. E-mail works best as a sales tool when you have an established relationship with someone, that's why purchased e-mail lists have such a dismal success rate. People rarely buy from companies that they do not know or trust.
Rather than using e-mail as a sales tool, consider using it as a way to open up a dialogue between your company and the consumer. Set your company apart and get ahead of the competition by using something as simple as a courteous e-mail after a product purchase.
Create a series of customer service oriented e-mail autoresponders that go out after a product is purchased. Each of the e-mails encourages the customer to respond regarding their buying experience and product satisfaction.
Blog Content
A blog is a great way to educate the consumer and show your expertise. It's an opportunity for people to get to know you in a more casual way. Because blogs are less formal, it is a more relaxed atmosphere, more conversational.
Blogs also allow you to educate and subtly encourage sales. One of my clients owns a small boutique selling maternity clothes. We are using her blog as an opportunity for her to talk about fashion and at the same time showcase some of the trendy clothing from her store. The more she writes in the blog, the more people get to know her and trust her. She is perceived as not just a store owner, but a maternity fashion expert.
Special Reports
A more formal way to share information with your customer or prospective customer is to create a special report or whitepaper. The topic of the report is usually based on a problem your company solves for the customer. It would include valuable information in the form of case studies or research that would educate the customer.
The report gives you an opportunity to show the customer you have a deep understanding of their problems and that you have the knowledge and tools to solve their problems. It both educates and persuades by clearly showing your expertise.
Conclusion
Don't be afraid to share your knowledge with the consumer. The more knowledge you share, the easier it will be for your prospective customer to connect with you and start building a long-term relationship.
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