LISTEN to and LEARN from your Customer's Needs

For every article I find interesting and useful, I never fail to share them with you. I firmly believe that quality articles deserve to be retold. One particular article I would be sharing with you today is about an author’s experience as an entrepreneur.

You read many success stories from the Internet, but the genuine ones are always about helping you become successful without asking anything in return. And this is exactly what Willie Crawford’s success story is about.

Mr. Crawford shares how he has carved a niche for himself as an entrepreneur by being observant of his customers’ needs and wants. I agree with him when he pointed out that it is much better to do what your customers ask or request than asking them what they want. As Crawford said, hearing the needs directly from your customers is far better and more accurate than the “usual tip” of asking what they want.

From this point, Crawford’s further business plans ultimately are based on listening to his customers. However, his success story is not that simply achieved. Of course, his business also took time to develop and become a successful one.

What I mostly observe on successful entrepreneurs is that they all have the patience to wait for their business to grow. Whether you are establishing an offline or an online business, you should remember that hard work and patience should be included.

With as much as people’s needs are very basic, the techniques of nurturing these needs are no more than the basic things, too. And this is another point Crawford shared in his article. Sometimes, we think big things---- on how we should market our business--- that too often, we neglect to see that in business, all that is needed is to listen. When people are pleased with what you do and what you sell, do not just stop by being flattered. These intances actually tell you something. Something that is very important to your customers and is crucial to your success. By being observant with these "instances", you will be able to focus more on your niche.

Here is an excerpt from Crawford’s article:

Over the years, I tried to sell those site visitors, and list members, a variety of different backend products, but nothing sold as well as my cookbook. For the last six years,list members have regularly told me what my next few products should be, but I wasn't really listening. List members regularly emailed me saying that they loved my recipes, but that they were on restricted diets. They often asked if I had diabetic, low-fat or low-carb recipes. They also often wrote to tell me that they'd been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and asked if I had any recipes for people with hypertension.

So the lesson for the day: “Do not play dumb when it comes to your customers’ needs.” Be willing to take all their suggestions. If you are going to ignore them, then you are missing the whole essence of your business. Your success does not only depend on what you think is best for your business, but it also depends on your target market. Your customers have all the potential to see your business’s productivity. Thus, be able to lend your ears to them and you would likely become successful.