Your Customer’s Holiday Wish List

By Anthony Garcia - Dec 21 , 2010

Want to know what your customers are really wanting this season?  It may surprise you.  It goes beyond having a great product or message; they are longing for something more.  In their own words, here is what your customers are wishing for…

1) Don’t be a poser.  Don’t make false, puffy, bravado laden claims or try to be something that you are not. How do you know if you are a poser?  How much energy are you spending trying to imitate another company, person, or product?  It’s ok to borrow ideas, but make your own mark.  That is the only way you will stand out in my mind.

2) Please answer all my questions online.  Don’t make me pick up the phone or fill out a lead form to get a basic answer to my question about what it is you are selling.  Long run on FAQ also doesn’t work.  Anticipate my questions and answer them in the copy throughout your site.  Oh, and if you are afraid to put a price on your website that means you price is a little too high.  Lower it or display it proudly and tell me why it is worth that amount.

3) Do not push me to make a decision.  Everybody likes to buy; nobody likes to be sold.  Incentives and promotions are fine, but make them different and make sure they enhance my perceptions of the value you are offering me.  Pull me in.

4) Be who you are, and be it loudly.  I want to have a relationship with a human company with human people.  I don’t want to build a buying relationship with a gimmick or cheesy mascot.  I want to build it with a person or a company that shares my values.

5) Admit you make mistakes and that your product isn’t perfect. Please do no edit your customer reviews to show me only the shiny, happy ones.  That just makes me skeptical.  I don’t care if others dislike you, I can make my own decisions.  I just want to know why they do and I want to make my own call on if that is tolerable for me.  What is bad for someone else may be good for me.

6) Make it easier for me to buy. Tell me how soon it will ship, when I will get it.  Don’t sell me something you do not have in stock without telling me first.  Don’t make me uncheck or register for a membership before I finish checking out.

I could go on and on.  But this should give you a start.

Want to learn more about what your customers are asking from you specifically?

Try an uncovery.