“Jim, sales are down for one of your key accounts. What's your plan to turn that around?” asks his sales manager.
“I plan on upselling by 15% next quarter. I feel that’s a stretch but doable,” replies Jim.
“What about the new CIO? How does she fit into the plan?”
“I’ll send her some info about us so that she can ramp up on what we do.”
“But—”
“I know!” Jim gives his manager ‘the hand’. “You don’t have to say it. I’ll tell her all about our new certifications. That will really make an impact.”
The sales manager gives Jim a cold stare. “I see you’ve put some info into the CRM.”
“Yeah, it’s all in there,” Jim puffs out his chest.
“What do you mean, all? I just see contact, location, and past project info.”
“Yep, got all the important stuff in there. I’m going to crush it next quarter!”
Do you see what is wrong here?
To Know Thy Customer is to know them beyond just the transaction.
That means, all of them (or as much as you can find out!). Pains, challenges, aspirations, background, personal interests, volunteerism, biz goals, team structure, connections, online activity, shall I go on?
With a well-rounded view of your customer, you become relevant in their world.
If you would like to learn more about how to establish a deeper, more meaningful connection with your customer that results in accelerating revenue growth, send me a note at kschaffglazier@gmail.com