<p>“The customer is always right,” says conventional wisdom, and I agree. The question is, what is the customer right about, or more to the point, for whom?<br /><br />When you’re starting a business it is tempting to offer a wide variety of services in an attempt to turn every prospect into a happy customer. This approach is risky for two reasons.<br /><br />First, if you promise services that are outside your expertise you run a very high risk of turning a prospect into an unhappy customer and working yourself to the bone. Secondly, if you make your offers too general, no one will be able to tell exactly what you do and no one will feel that they are your ideal client.<br /><br />Instead try this. Base your offer in your strengths and then get it in front of the clients who need what you are best at. Do this and you increase the odds that the people who hire you will be happy with your work. You also make it much, much easier for others to refer people to you because they will know exactly what you do. <br /><br />Consider these statements:<br /><br />“Sara Jones is just the person you need. She’s a great accountant with a good sense of humor, and she answers her email within 24 hours. What’s more, she specializes in accounting for micro-businesses and her staff will do your bookkeeping, too.” <br /><br />“If you are looking for a career coach, call John Mason. He works with mid-level executives who want to change industry.”<br /><br />“Try Max’s Auto Repair. They love working on older cars and they’ve taken great care of our family vehicles for years.”<br /><br />Compare with:<br /><br />“Call Martha Anderson. She’s a coach who works with all kinds of people to reach all sorts of goals.”<br /><br />“You could try Nick’s Auto Repair. I know they work on a lot of cars.”<br /><br />“John’s uncle is a landscaper, but I don’t know if he does residential projects.”<br /><br />See the difference? If your friends tried to refer business to you today, which kind of statement are they likely to be making? The small difference in the above statements make all of the difference. <br /><br />Knowing and working from your strengths is an essential part of developing your niche. Most likely, there are a number of ways in which your strengths could add value in the marketplace. Therefore, developing a niche is a process of exploring several possibilities and gradually refining them.<br /><br />You might think about developing a niche as akin to planting a garden. You start by planting lots of seeds rather close together. As these germinate, you keep the strongest sprouts and remove the others. As your garden grows, you will continue to thin and prune until only the strongest and healthiest plants remain. Along the way you give away or compost the seedlings and trimmings; nothing is lost.<br /><br />As you strengthen your niche, you’ll grow in integrity and confidence. With time you’ll know with certainty which customers are right for you and you’ll attract more of them.</p>
2008-11-23T23:40:07Z
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2008-11-24T06:19:03Z
2008-11-24T06:19:03Z
When you’re starting a business it is tempting to offer a wide variety of services in an attempt to turn every prospect into a happy customer. This approach is risky for two reasons.
The Right Customer
0
2009-02-24T09:47:22Z