The internet has very quickly become the biggest marketplace. It has enabled us to gather information about a product, compare them in detail, and finally select and buy one from the convenience of our home. We can complete the process in minutes and literally through our fingertips without even getting up.
As it’s becoming easier for the consumers to buy, it is also getting more and more challenging for the manufacturers to sell their products.
How do you stand out in the crowded digital market?
How do you communicate to the consumers about your product?
How do you make them buy your product?
These are some of the questions plaguing the manufacturers now.
How To Better Explain A Product To Your Customer
Most of the consumers rely on the testimonials and reviews posted by users. But it would be silly to just rely on the customers’ feedback to improve sales. You need to be proactive and educate your potential customers on the product. This might seem a daunting task but it is not impossible if you follow some simple steps:
Know what you customer wants
Just having all the statistics and data on your target segment is not going to give you the edge. You have to join all the dots to connect with your customer. You need to add a personal touch to your communication.
One effective way to achieve this is by making the communication personal to reach your customers. You can think of several approaches:
Personalize or customize the communication: Imagine explaining a complex product to an elderly family member who is not so tech-savvy. The point you should consider is that you should make an extra effort to reach the level of knowledge or awareness of your customers and explain things in a language or manner they can identify with. If needed break down the technical information or omit them and emphasize more on how the product can help them. This approach will educate the customers about the product and also make them feel smarter or involved as they will feel smarter by knowing how to use it.
Let your customer choose: Customers are today learning about your product from different sources and media. This also will depend on what they are familiar with or their knowledge/awareness level. People in software development will appreciate comprehensive technical documentation in software development but the same level of technical detail might fail for a household product or service. You need to understand the difference and create the right kind of communication for different customers. Some need a technical brochure while others might appreciate a video tutorial or an infographic. You also need to create channels across media – an audio walk-through in a podcast or a hand on demo in social media.
Take help of known terms: It’s important to speak or explain things in a language your customer is familiar with. Identify different storytelling tools that convey the message without convoluting it. The complex processes of a data center are often simply referred to by the marketing and sales team as ‘cloud’. The term has been so popular that most people now understand the meaning and use it regularly – for example, cloud applications.
In this case, a metaphor has been used successfully that has helped in understanding an alien notion. It helps to think about how the products will help the customers and focus on promoting these features through relatable visuals, notions, and ideas. Iconography can be used very creatively to hook customers onto the familiar and create a bridge important to mold their decision in favor of the product.
2. Highlighting the product benefits
You are the best person to know the features and uniqueness of your product and the shortcomings too.
- Show the usefulness of the product: The most important thing you need to establish with your customers is the importance or usefulness of the product to them. Keep in mind that the customer would not care much about anything mundane or that they will not find useful. If needed give an emotional twist as it can motivate the customer favorably.
- Avoid throwing statistical figures: Customers care more about the return on investment more than the market share or penetration, or for that matter, any other statistical figures. You need to establish the value of your product first. Be sure to use statistical data to complement your claim or after the customer is interested in the product. You should also follow this model in the webpage for the product.
3. Back up your claim on the product
It’s most likely that your product is not the first of its kind. Many similar products from other companies exist along with their guarantees and offers. What you claim to provide the customers might not be enough to make your product hugely popular unless these claims/ offers are substantiated by customers who are using the product. So, you need your customers to find out that you backup your claims and that will help your clientele grow. This will help in the following ways:
- Create a customer base: Creating a steady base who believes in the product might take some time but will be a boon in the long run. You should think of ways you can demonstrate the usefulness of the product to the customers and make their positive responses visible or known to other potential ones.
- Establish the brand: It pays when customers trust your product. They will look forward to the next product from your brand and thus you can grow a connection between your brand and the customer. You should use this trust to expand the customer base.
Customers expect something more than a business rapport and by communicating to them about the product, you are creating a support base for your brand too.
4. Be honest about your product
Your customers will appreciate the honesty. This might help in establishing a long-term relationship between you and them.
- Do not hide from negativities: As you provide all the relevant features, you should also talk about the features that you are not sure about. Do not ignore any review that mentions the shortcomings or lacunas of the product but acknowledge them. You owning up or accepting that problem and promising to look into it will create a positive image about the honesty of the product as well as the brand.
- Share relevant details: Use social media to inform the customer of relevant trivia on the product. It can be a story on how the company sought help from homemakers to interact with the team of engineers to make a particular household product – or the credibility of the professionals responsible for product development.
5. Label your product appropriately
The labels on the packaging of the product also serve as an important product description as the webpage of the fliers. This is an important part of branding. Make sure that
- Items or details are clearly labeled.
- The main features are mentioned and highlighted.
- It clearly says what the product is about or what it does.
- There is a synergy in all visual designing.
6. Take advantage of influencer marketing
Digital media have ushered in the new talents known as media influencers. They are people who have a large number of followers (who follow their posts) on social media and have agreed to share your product with their page. This could be done through a blog or a vlog, or just even a statement. This is important as
- It associates a face to your product. Endorsement by a known face generally works great for sales and is a known strategy in advertising. The difference is that the influencer may not be a star so the followers will associate some reality with this style of endorsement.
- You can reach out to thousands of potential customers in an instant. If they like the communication, they might share it on their page and the viewership will grow multiple folds in no time.
7. Build an informed team and a strategy
In most cases communicating with your customers is teamwork with many people involved in the process. Prepare a communication strategy and a brief, especially with anyone who is in direct contact with the customer. That may be in the sales, service, or the customer care team. People who have a direct conversation with the customers are viewed by them as people who are responsible for the product. They generally face the inquiries and also the wrath. You need to get them on one page regarding the product and your brand as they are in a way your brand ambassadors and will create an impact on your viewers.
Conclusion
It is only natural that you would like your product to have better visibility and stand out from the crowd. But this is a part of a bigger marketing strategy. First, you must inform your customers about the product to create a positive vibe. Keep in mind the above mentioned points and create a plan to communicate with your customers effectively in the crowded market space.
