One of the most coveted skills in marketing is the ability to read the customer’s mind. Most business owners want to know what their customers want and what the right buttons to push are, to get a sale. Neither of these questions is easily answered, mostly because the subject of the discussion is so diverse and differing. So how do you judge what’s going on in your customers’ minds and how to use it to promote your business? Consider the following to get some idea about how to catch a glimpse of the customers’ wishes and requirements.
1. Analyze Information
You might not realize it but you do have ample of data with you. You have information about customer behavior, their buying tendencies, the best times to advertise to them, etc. All you need to do is study the information keenly. You need to know when the customer traffic to your website or your store is highest, when they’re most likely to purchase a product, and how much they’re likely to purchase.
If you collect all the data and sort in on the basis of demographic, you might know where you need to spend your marketing efforts. For example, if you know that a product X is more likely to be purchased in the evening by professional women in their thirties, you can target your ads in that general direction.
2. Anticipate
This is often underestimated, mostly because people are actually scared to anticipate their customers’ needs and create a product based on that. Most marketers would advise you to find a need in the market and fulfill it with your business. To a certain extent, this is a very valid advice. However, the most successful business owners have created the need. Not out of thin air, but by anticipating the customer’s needs.
The best examples of this are Facebook, YouTube, iPods, smartphones, computers, etc. These are innovations that most people didn’t realize they needed or wanted, but now have become indispensable. The point is that you need to anticipate what you customer wants and give it to him.
3. Customer Service Representatives
Small businesses rarely have a professional in-house customer service team. In most cases, this function is outsourced. However, you can source the same level of information from employees that interact most with the customers. These include the people who operate cash counters, serve customers, etc. They are an untapped resource that you can use to get a deeper understanding of the customer mindset. You’ll get a fairly accurate idea about the common customer complaints and disappointments, need and requirements, and their expectations from the company.
4. Be Where Your Customers Are
You need to do a little research and find out where your customers are. For example, you might find people below the age of twenty mostly gathering at Instagram. Platforms like DeviantArt attract artists from all over the world, the EyeEm forum is a gathering of photography enthusiasts. You can use these platforms to gather information on customer likes and dislikes and the latest trends, etc.
By following the above stated suggestions, you might be able to get a glimpse of your customer mindset.
