Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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August 29, 2007

4.2: 10 Expert Strategies for Finding Customer Needs

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:27 am

Customers Are the Only Ones Who Count

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Yesterday I wrote a recipe for a product offering that sells. Of course, it really was about paying attention to customers — customers are the only ones who count.


4.1: The Recipe for a Product Offering that Will Sell

Before we leave the topic, I did some research to offer you the points of view from some experts on the subject.

10 Expert Strategies for Finding Customer Needs

Read to find out how to listen to your customers and how to know when they are right.

  1. pdf 6 Customer Expectations.
    a most readable pdf with solid explanations of how customers think.

  2. video Asking Customers What They Think Has Long-Term Benefits
    The benefits of asking

  3. A Customer Feedback Tip - Are You Asking The Right Questions?
    Well-written article on making sure we know what we’re asking

  4. To Charge Up Customers, Put Customers in Charge
    Uses the great example of Threadless.com an online business.

  5. Create Successful Products by ‘Getting in the Van’
    The benefits of going to where the customers are

  6. Customer Satisfaction Tips Links to 18 articles on the subject of finding out what customers think

  7. Finding Hot Selling Products to Sell
    The basics of supply and demand

  8. Successful products through observation
    Why simply watching ourselves and our customers is valid too.

  9. Tips for e-mail marketing in a spam-filled world
    Once you have a list of customers hw you might use it to ask them what they think.

  10. How to Find High-Demand Products That Sell Like Hotcakes
    Some nontraditional places to research online

Now take a look at the products you own. What thinking made you buy them?

How will that help you decide what you offer?

–ME :Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Related
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20 Outstanding Links to Answer “What Do You Do?”
3.2: Three Steps to a Killer Tagline that Customers Pass On
Strategy: 40 Outstanding Blog Links, Bookmark Carefully!
20 Blog Promotion Guides to Inform Your Strategy





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4 Comments to “4.2: 10 Expert Strategies for Finding Customer Needs”

  1. August 29th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
    Mike said

    Hi Liz,

    As we’ve come to expect in this series, a top notch list of resources!

    I especially like the “get in the van” post. When I started my career I was designing product support systems and procedures, and my boss wisely told me that the only way to be effective was to “ride the truck” with our techs to actual customer sites to see what challenges they faced. So I did for a couple of weeks. To say it was a valuable education would be the understatement of the month! I went back knowing how my channel and customers thought and acted, so I could help guide product designers to create much more usable products.

    Mike

  2. August 29th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
    Truthteller said

    This may seem unorthodox, however I find that if you give your customer something of value, totally without any expectation of anything in return, you open them up.
    I’m not talking about some cheesy company calendar or pen, but somthing they will find of value. Ask for nothing in return! And expect nothing!
    The next visit you will be received more as a friend and find that they are more than receptive to define their needs to you (or anything else you want to know)

    Note: giving customers something with your company name on it, is viewed as a promotional or advertising item and discounted. It would be better to give them a beautiful pen with their name on it!

    Eduardo

  3. August 29th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike!
    I so agree with the value of your experience. :)

    Absolutely nothing beats living the life that our customers lead. It’s the way that we get to know our customers needs, wants, desires. It how we understand their pain and irritations. How we can step into their minds and move with confidence through to what they might like.

  4. August 29th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Eduardo!
    Generosity does breed generosity! How wise. I especially like that you understand that it has to be without strings — even without our name on that lovely pen. A gift, even a word that we’ve taken the time to give, is often returned in kind with a bit of themselves.

    I think you must be a wonderful businessman. :)

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