Dealing With Non-Buyers (Hint!) How You Treat Them Actually Matters
I recently experienced a significant medical emergency with one of my children that resulted in a 911 call, two ambulance rides, and a couple of days stay in Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. (Any parent’s worse nightmare, am I right?!)
While in the hospital, it quickly became obvious to me that I would not be able to make my scheduled business trip that week.
I started canceling flights, cars and hotels.
Most of the organizations I contacted were understanding and accommodating but one was outwardly rude and showed a complete lack of empathy for my emotional situation.
The hotel where I was booked to stay gave me lots of push back on canceling my reservation without a penalty regardless of the circumstances.
I was shocked and angry.
To them, I had gone from a “buyer” to a “non-buyer,” and, in their very misguided way of thinking, they assumed that their treatment of me no longer mattered!
Sales people and sales organizations everywhere, please hear me when I say “The way you treat non-buyers matters! And it matters tremendously.”
What to Keep In Mind About Your Non-Buyers
#1 The Idea of Someday
Just because they aren’t buying from you today doesn’t mean they won’t buy from you someday (that is unless you treat them badly today).
Treat them badly today and you’ll never get them back.
Tip: Stop calling them non-buyers and start calling them “someday buyers” and see how your treatment of them will change just based on your paradigm shift.
Some “shoppers” or “browsers” will lust after a product or service for weeks, months or years until they are finally able to purchase.
When I was a young, professional woman in business just staring out, I desperately wanted a pair of Prada pumps (those are shoes for the less fashionably inclined).
I would go into Nordstrom and eye them, hold them and sometimes even try them on.
I was never once made to feel silly or less-than because I couldn’t afford them or because I never actually purchased the shoes.
I was always treated kindly and with respect. And I am very pleased to say that I finally did go back to Nordstrom’s a couple years ago and purchase an amazing pair of Prada heels!
I was always a buyer – I was just a “someday” buyer!
#2 Non-Buyers are Mouthy
“Someday buyers” formally referred to as “Non-buyers” are some of your best spokespeople and your worst reviews on Yelp.
A happy “someday” buyer likes your Facebook page, follows you on Twitter, shows up at your events, pours over your catalogues, and maybe most importantly – talks about you, your product and/or your service to all their friends, family and social media connections.
A mistreated and disgruntled “someday buyer” relishes in their power to tarnish your image on social media when they feel they’ve been wronged.
I try not to be vengeful by nature, but my immediate thought to being treated poorly by the hotel while standing beside my child’s hospital bed was “Oh no you didn’t! Just wait until you feel the wrath that I’m going to inflict on you through social media! You’ll be sorry!”
I’ve since calmed down a bit, and I now I feel bad for the company more than anything because it is clearly not a part of the company’s culture to believe that all people deserve to be treated well regardless of whether or not they are handing you money!
Treat your non-buyers as “someday buyers” and you could change someones world, possibly even your own!
