I have to admit it. I'm arrogant.
I think I know everything, how to do anything and of course, what my clients and customers want.
I also have to admit I've been kind of lucky.
I've developed a lot of services, programs and products that have been very well received. Because I fit my "ideal client profile," I just think about what I would personally like and I create that.
But even that has its limits.
After all, there are infinite possibilities. When I was creating my Client Survey this weekend, I was amazed to see that I came up with a list of 28 different areas of marketing Independent Professionals could use.
In addition, I came up with 17 different kinds of programs, services and products. Right now I'm only offering three.
Last I checked I wasn't psychic, and although I think I know my subscribers, customers and clients pretty well, the truth is that I have no real idea what people are most interested in.
So I'm asking you to take a minute and fill out this survey and let me know. APM Survey
Ever overhear a conversation that went something like this:
"I can't believe they (added/removed) those features of that (service/product). Why didn't they just ask me? I've been using that (service/product) for years and I really know exactly what would make it better! Don't they care??!!"
But in our businesses, do we ask? Do we care? Or are you arrogant like me, putting together your service packages and programs, just trusting your "gut instincts" that they'll be right?
I actually did a survey last month for my Marketing Club.
I asked what people were using in the Club and what they'd like to see more of. I had no idea. People wanted more step-by-step how-tos. People wanted more support. A blinding flash of the obvious.
So I created detailed step-by-step checklists and added mastermind groups. We now have over 100 people in the Club who've joined a mastermind group. And it took very little effort on my part to set them up.
I still have a long list to work on...
It's funny how we know about something, have heard about it for years, and yet for some reason (must be that arrogance again), we don't check it out and give it a try.
The great little tool I knew about but never used was Survey Monkey. It's easy to use, free or very cheap, works flawlessly and makes it effortless to set up a survey. I did it from bed on my laptop on Saturday morning!
The theme of my eZines for awhile is "Marketing Strategies" and getting feedback is most definitely a marketing strategy. It's one I've personally avoided for years, but now I'm a convert.
And like all true believers, I want to convert you as well!
Ask yourself what useful data you could get from your subscribers, customers and clients if you did a survey. After all, if you can provide more of what they're looking for, isn't your business going to be better off?
Of course!
What could be more important in a down economy? Find out what people want and turn yourself inside out to provide it as quickly as possible. Developing most services takes some time but not a lot of money, so it's a low risk project.
Next year I think my main programs are still going to be the Marketing Club and the Marketing Mastery Program but when I get the results of the survey, I know I'll be creating a few more things to help you attract more clients.
Don't forget that survey: APM Survey
I'll share the results with you next week.
The More Clients Bottom Line: Find out what your subscribers, customers, and clients want by doing a survey. With a handy tool like SurveyMonkey.com you can develop a survey in a very short time and get some brilliant ideas that will help take your business to the next level. Do it!
What kind of changes have you made in your business as a result of doing a survey? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the Comments link below.
Robert
Speaking of "do you know your customers?"
Let me tell you a story along those lines.
I had been helping a small town build their downtown branding, and increasing the traffic. After having several successes they shifted gears with new committee leaders, and decided that they'd rather do their own thing. They were sure they knew their market better.
They had been doing a Spring Festival with about 13,000 people attending every spring. I had encouraged them to build it even further with additional marketing and to establish a theme that they could be known for. One of the neighboring towns was doing one with 50,000 attending and had built a nice brand around their events. So I was encouraging them to build theirs even bigger.
However, their new committee leaders were "artsy" types who believed that doing an art fair would be better. I suggested that they do the spring festival one month, and the art fair the next, continuing to build into new markets and establishing the fact with the community that there was always SOMETHING going on and to look to see what's goingon this month.
But they decided that they'd shut down the spring festival and replace it with the art fair.
They just slammed the door on 13,000 people that had been loyal followers for 20 years, and went to another market that had to be developed.
They wouldn't listen to anyone about that. They were SURE that the art market was better, after all, the new leaders of the committee were artists.
I showed them that there were over 50,000 people looking for a spring festival locally on the internet monthly, and only 600 looking for an art fair. But they were SURE they understood their market.
The result: 300 people showedup at the art fair, and 13,000 people are angry with them, letters to the city council and to the committee.
And the next city over saw an increase of 10,000 people this year when they did their spring festival.
What's surprising is that next year they intend to work harder at the art fair. They still refuse to do another spring festival.
Posted by: Alan Boyer | October 27, 2009 at 05:54 AM
Robert,
Great idea and great reminder that I need to do the same... really dig into the what people need.
All the same, my own preference would be that you'd shorten that survey a little. Not in total but on the individual questions. You can get the same info over more and shorter questions.
The long series of responses to first Q simply makes me want to wilt... sort of fade away...
But then again, that's just me.
In Strength,
Shawn Phillips (@shawn_phillips)
author, Strength for LIFE
Creator, www.FullStrength.com
Posted by: Shawn Phillips | October 06, 2009 at 05:45 AM