Business
Consumer research is the second step in our Framework that allows marketers too better understand and communicate a brands value to customers. This is a crucial step nearly everyone skips out of either laziness, fear, not knowing how to do it, or haste. The secret is, anyone can do it. You don’t need an MBA or Marketing Degree. When people skip this set, what ends up happening is you communicate a generic message that doesn’t speak to anyone's needs but the person who wrote the marketing copy. A customer needs rarely line up with the business owners or the marketer's assumptions. Here are the 4 steps for Powerful Customer Research. 1. Identify who your ideal customers are. Who are you currently selling too? Who would you like to be selling to? 2. Talk to your current customers. Talk to past customers. Talk to your competitor's customers. And talk to potential customers. 1. Find out what their fears are that hold them back from a purchase. 2. Find our what their emotional reason for buying is. 3. Ask where what they read online and where they spend their time. 4. What do they like and dislike about current options? 5. What makes them happy? 6. What adds value for them? What could you deliver and charge more for? 7. Ask what needs they are looking to serve. 3. Segment based on differing needs. You will be far more effective when you speak to peoples individual needs. 4. Create buyer personas. Fictional models of groups of customers that have the same or similar needs. Once you’ve done the work of actually speaking with and understanding your customers, and you know what the goals and objectives are, next you can create a winning strategy. We’re going to cover that in the next episode. I’ll see you tomorrow. ResourcesHow To Create Buyer PersonasFinding Your Companies Why - Simon SinekUnderstanding Customers Needs - Jobs TheoryHubSpot Persona Tool