Educating Your Customers

There is s lot of discussion at businesses and especially in the wine business about the need to educate customers about products and services. I am definitely not against education, though it’s important to realize that education is not usually at the forefront of someone’s mind when they walk into a business. It’s not so much about education as giving customers the facts they want and need to make a buying decision.

For example, if a customer walks into a hardware store to buy paint because they are planning to paint their living room, giving them information about the latest model of kitchen sink is not going to do you or them any good.

Before you give customers the facts, you should know what it is that they are looking for, what information is relevant to them and what will make them want to buy from you. So start by asking questions, creating a personal relationship with them and listening. Let them talk first and for most of the time, you will have plenty of time later when you know what it is that your customers want.

Be sure that everyone who deals with customers knows the products and how to describe them. As an article from Forbes (April 2015) said,

“If there’s a starting point when it comes to educating your customers, it’s probably this: Believe in your product. But more than that, make sure you know how to express that belief.”

While the features (what the product or service can do) are very important, the benefits (how the product or service will make the customers’ lives easier/better) is even more important. The customer wants to know how the product will relate in the real world. How it will impress their friends, what problems it will solve and how others feel about it.

You want your customers to leave your place of business with the view that your product or service will make their life, simpler, better, more fun, or whatever it is that you have discovered is important to them.

A tip of the glass from me to you