4 Ways to Stay At the Very Top Your Customer’s Mind

Remember not that long ago, when salespeople across the country couldn’t get traffic in the door? With the economy in a massive free-fall, nobody bought much of anything.

Thankfully, our economy is in a much better place today, right? In fact, consumer confidence is at a 10 year high.

That’s great…but it does create a new set of challenges for salespeople. And the biggest challenge might just be how to stay at the top of the customer’s mind.

With a better economy–and with instant access to data and information 24/7–customers have more choices than ever before.

Here’s the thing: too many choices create confusion. At Shore Consulting, we have a name for this confusion: cognitive strain.

Cognitive strain is particularly prevalent when selling a high priced item, available from many reputable sources and requires a lengthy buying cycle.

In a world of ever increasing cognitive strain, how do you stand out from the competition?

Here are four ways to ensure that you stay at the very top of your customer’s mind:

1. Be Interested, Not Just Interesting

Too many salespeople focus on dazzling customers with a wealth of knowledge. This mindset will lead you to talk way too much and overload your customers with information.

When you slow down and express a true interest in who your customers are and what is going on in their life, you actually stand out from the crowd!

Make it a game to see how little you talk and how much your customers do talk.

2. Use Powerful Vocabulary

We live in a world that seems to de-emphasize good communication skills.

In fact, our culture butchers good vocabulary. Just read the last few texts you received: OMG. LOL. BRB. C U Soon. Etc.

It would surprise me not at all if we start grunting at each other soon and forgo words altogether.That being said, when you use powerful vocabulary, you get noticed.

Look at any of the great leaders in history. Odds are they had a way with words.

If you want to stand out, use different words than your competition. Use words that paint pictures and create emotion.

As a resource, get the book Words That Sell by Richard Bayan. In his book, Bayan offers multiple alternatives to some of the most common words used today.

3. Create Future Experiences For Your Customers

Think back in your life right now. What were you doing 10 years ago?

My guess is you didn’t recall what you had for breakfast on July 16, 2005. If you recalled a memory, it was probably of a memory of an experience.

Maybe it was a special vacation or an event you attended. The point is we remember experiences extremely well — mundane details, not so much.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, learn to “future pace” your customers. Help them imagine their experiences when they move forward with your product or service.

A future experience is just as powerful as a past experience. Get away from features and benefits. Talk experiences and watch your sales skyrocket.

4. Implement a Four Hour Follow-Up

We know that people buy from the emotional part of their brain. And customers tend to get emotional when they experience your product.

The challenge is that people today stay busier and certainly face more distractions than at any other time in history. So they may leave your sales office on an emotional high, but then experience an immediate and dramatic drop in emotional altitude.

Why?

Life, that’s why. Phone calls. Texts. The next meeting. And on and on and on. It is never ending!

Stay memorable by following up with customers within four hours of their visit. I’m serious!

Doing so will keep you at the top of their mind and you will stand out among your competitors who all follow up 24-48 hours later.

Since the buying process creates cognitive strain for your customers, make it your job to create a sense of cognitive ease.

You will not only make the buying process less confusing, you will make it easier to change someone’s world.