Stop pushing for the sale — start helping customers make sense of their options and prove your business is the right one. The opinions expressed by contributors to Entrepreneur are theirs.
Takeaways to Remember
- In specialized industries, education is not separate.
This is important for customers to make an informed decision and compare products. Businessmen are naturally inclined to highlight the features of their product. It is often harder and more crucial to explain what products cannot do.
- The marketing team or the sales department cannot be solely responsible for customer education. Everyone is responsible for ensuring that customers see how the expertise of the business can be demonstrated.
Certain businesses offer products which customers are already familiar with. Some businesses have to describe the product category first before explaining why they are the best choice.
My company is in one of these industries.
Many people are familiar with window films, but they don’t know the differences between decorative, privacy, and security film. Many people associate window tinting with automobiles, and not home window tinting. Customers must first understand the capabilities of the products and the options that best fit their needs. The window film industry is not the only one that faces this challenge. Many businesses, including technology companies, health care providers, financial service firms, and specialty contractors, offer services or products that are hard to assess from outside. Customers are asked to make important decisions in these industries without the same technical expertise that sellers use every day. This knowledge gap may cause hesitation.
This can encourage a company to be more aggressive in their sales. In my experience, pressure does not resolve confusion — clear education does.
Confussion changes the way customers compare value.
If customers don’t understand what the options are, they often use price to compare. Even though the product, installation requirement or anticipated outcome are different, two proposals can appear to be similar. The customer might assume the lowest price is the best deal if no one clarifies the differences. Education is an important part of selling in any specialized field. This is necessary to help customers compare products.
Start the conversation with the problem of the customer, and not the product catalogue.
The homeowner might be concerned about rooms becoming uncomfortable in the afternoon. Property managers may be looking to improve the privacy of a meeting room, reduce glare or protect existing glass. These customers don’t initially want to learn about film production. The customers want to find out if their problems can be resolved. The business will be able to explain options that are directly related to the desired outcome once the objective is clearly defined. Although technical knowledge is still important, it only becomes relevant to customers when it’s translated into something that the client can use. Leaders from any sector can use the same method.
Then, listen to what your customer is trying to improve or change. Explain the solution using that perspective. The buyer doesn’t need to know every detail of the recommendation, but should be able to see why it makes sense in their particular situation.
Good education includes a clear understanding of limitations
Businessmen are naturally inclined to highlight what products they can offer. It is often harder and more crucial to explain what the product cannot do.
Broad terminology in specialized industries can lead to expectations for products or services that were never intended. Customers who are interested in safety and security film for windows need to know how it is designed to work and why no company can make guarantees the product cannot support. This issue is unique to each technical industry.
There are limits to the software implementation. Risk is inherent in financial products. Building projects may reveal conditions that are not readily apparent. The healthcare services that are provided to each person may not be the same. It may be easier to avoid these facts in the beginning of a sales conversation, but this can lead to disappointments later.
When a business is willing to admit that one solution may not be the best for a specific situation, trust grows.
This honesty might cost the transaction but protects both the relationship with the client and the reputation of the business. This helps customers with the right expectations to move on.
Therefore, education should include not only benefits but also tradeoffs. The customer should know why an option is more expensive, the benefits they receive from using it, and whether or not that extra expense was necessary. By recommending the best solution, rather than the most costly one, the business shows it is not only focused on sales but also the end result.
Customers education is not the sole responsibility of the sales or marketing departments. The employees who perform the service are often the most credible in a business because the customers can witness their skills.
The installers who work for our company are often the last and most significant impression that customers have of us. The installers can answer your questions regarding care, appearance and what you should expect after the installation.
It is important that they are technically competent, but also communicate effectively and avoid unnecessary jargon. Even a strong installation combined with an unhelpful interaction may still affect the overall customer experience. It is not just the window film business that can be affected by this. Technicians, consultants, health professionals, delivery crews and other frontline staff are often the most trustworthy representatives for a business. They can reinforce the promises made to the client or cause doubt when the company should be building trust.
Leaders need to teach their employees how to answer common questions, and when they should involve experts instead of using scripts.
The frontline staff also knows where the customers are confused. Their feedback should be used to guide training material.
Clarity builds confidence.
Entrepreneurs worry that education of customers may prolong the sales process. A poor education will overwhelm the buyer with unnecessary information. Good education, however, does just the opposite. The answers to the questions that prevent a customer from making a choice and help them understand if the solution they choose is the right one for them.
It is not the goal to make every customer an expert. The goal is to eliminate uncertainty and provide enough information to allow the buyer to make an informed decision.
This confidence is dependent on the products and people who deliver them in technical service companies. The customer might start by looking for window tinting or commercial window films, or even a solution to heat reduction, but ultimately, they need confidence in the product and the people delivering it. Clarity is key when customers are in confusion. Companies that are good at teaching do more than just close sales. Customers are better served and the reputation of their company is stronger.
