Do You Know (and Understand) Your Market?
Last night I had a knock on the door. I answered it knowing it was probably a salesperson, but it might be a neighbour, so I couldn’t ignore it.
I’m not sure why companies even send salesmen door-to-door anymore as they always seem to receive a poor reception.
To me, having someone try to sell to me on my doorstep feels like a real invasion of my privacy (an English(wo)man’s home is her castle), plus I had been to the pub an hour or 2 previously and was buoyed by the courage of beer 
I half opened the door and peered around it suspiciously.
Unfortunately, the young man (max. age 20) standing there was indeed trying to sell me something. The conversation went something like this:
Salesman: “Don’t worry, I’m not so scary honestly” [why do they always say this? He's a stranger, it's getting dark, he's knocking on my door and he's clearly going to try and sell me something, I have a right to look unhappy about it]
Me: “Hi”
Salesman: “I’m visiting everyone who doesn’t have Sky yet..”
Me: “I’m not interested”
Salesman: “But you’re on Freeview, right?”
Me: “No, I have cable.”
Salesman: “Virgin Media? Well, we are offering quotes that will undercut Virgin Media’s prices in the area.”
Me: “I’m not interested. I’m happy with Virgin Media.”
Salesman: [indiciating the row of houses opposite mine all sporting a satellite dish] “Do you want to be the ONLY person in the street without a satellite dish.”
Me: “Hell, yes, I think they’re ugly and a complete blot on the street.”
Salesman: “Uhhmm, really? Oh….”
Me: “Yep…Bye.” [close the door]
It seems to me this guy (or the company that sent him out selling) should have done a better job at market research.
Now, I’m not saying he could possibly anticipate that I would hate satellite dishes, nor that I am not interested in having multiple TV channels (I have cable for the exceptional broadband and would happily live without the TV but it’s part of the package). But he certainly hadn’t done his homework.
- He hadn’t even noticed the Virgin Media box stuck to the side of my house and shouldn’t have assumed I had Freeview
- He never took the time to ask what I most liked about my cable package in order to tell me how Sky could improve on that (I’m all about the broadband connection, which Sky can’t compete with)
- He tried to play the “Keeping up with the Jones’s” card, and even a minor knowledge of this area would have made him realise it wouldn’t work. Not only is the economic climate wrong for it (the media is drumming it into people that these are hard times and people are less inclined to spend money and more uncomfortable with showing socio-economic superiority) but neighbour envy usually occurs in areas where people are living amongst their peers and feel they need to compete. The streets of this neighbourhood are a real mix of young professionals, naval personnel, small families, middle-aged couples with grown-up children and retirees.
This week I also saw an example of a company selling a product that shows they must truly know their market.
If someone said you could charge $800 for an ebook, you’d think they were crazy, right?
What if that ebook was a report on using Twitter for business? Still sounds crazy? There are endless ebooks being touted at the moment for $10 telling you how to use Twitter for marketing.
Yet, The Shorty Report is being marketed at the moment for $795, and is simply a 160 page pdf about using Twitter for business.
Sawhorse Media (the company behind The Shorty Report) is either deluded or has a strong idea of who their market is and what value they would place on a report of this kind.
I’m inclined to believe the latter. The report focuses on how major companies like Comcast, NASA and Zappos have used Twitter and includes interviews with their main Twitterer. The marketing blurb uses the language of big business and corporations. These are the target market of The Shorty Report and to them $795 is a drop in the ocean for this kind of insider information giving them a quick-start and advantage on Twitter (especially if they pick up the half-hour consultation bonus currently on offer).
Market research and market understanding are vital for any business – large or small. It’s the basis for any successful business. This should go without saying, and yet so many race through this stage when establishing their online businesses.
Don’t find yourself in the uncomfortable position of my door-to-door salesman, drawing a blank because he doesn’t know who his market is and what they want. Be the business that can buck the trend because you know exactly who wants your product or service, how much they will gladly pay for it, and how to press their buttons to convert them to a buyer.
I always admire any young person who has the nerve to do door to door selling and will always listen to what they have to say if they present themselves well.
This is mainly because I have done some door knocking myself and know that it isn’t easy to do.
I just love it when a young person who may looking for support for their school or sports team speaks up clearly and concisely states why they are there.
I almost found myself feeling sorry for this young man because he clearly was not very well trained in the correct things to say nor understanding his target market. (I tend to blame the company)
Of course he wouldn’t be expecting to be greeted by a half snapped grouch behind every door either.
Gord had something to say about Seth Godin Explains Why You Need a Tribe
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Lisa Reply:
April 5th, 2009 at 4:00 am
I guess my major problem is with anyone who sells door-to-door and the companies that persist in sending them out. We have had a major problem with salespeople who are sent out by marketing companies on behalf of big businesses and will promise anything just to make the sale and get your signature – then it can take forever to get out of the contract. That then reflects badly on those who are trying to do a good job.
Also, I think we live in a world where (a) people are less happy to have someone they don’t know standing on their doorstep, especially at night, and (b) where there are so many better ways to market to people.
But in this case the poor boy hadn’t been trained properly either. He actually got off quite lightly with me – grouchy as I was. There are plenty of people in my street I know would have been aggressive with someone on their doorstep, and they are the folks that Sky would probably be marketing to.
Needless to say, the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and just about anybody else “selling” gets short shrift at my front door (although I have been known to invite the occasional market researcher in for a cup of coffee)!
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I agree with you Lisa! I hate door to door or telephone salespeople who say stupid or insulting things to me. When I get the “Don’t you want to save money?” question I usually say “no, in face you just interrupted me, I am very busy flushing bills down the toilet, so sorry I am going to have to get back to that, good-bye”. C’mon people, who do those cheesy lines really work on???
Christie Ingram had something to say about WAHM Link Love
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Lisa Reply:
April 8th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
LOL. Part of me wishes there was better training for salespeople but then I realise I’d probably fall for it every time!
We have a exceptional freelance salesperson at the recording studio where I do voiceovers and she sells without seeming to sell. No cheesy lines!
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Most people today aren’t very receptive on being ’sold’ on something. They are tired of this method for business, and cold calling and door-to-door selling have got to be two of the most difficult ways to make a living. Prospects resist selling…the more you sell, the more people resist it.
In terms of internet network marketing, making yourself an indispensable source of information can establish your identity as an authority marketer. The more helpful and valuable your information is the greater the chance those customers will purchase from you. This is the concept of attraction marketing – develop ongoing relationships with clients and moving them along the buying path in your communications to greatly increase profits on autopilot. These clients will also bring in more business for you via referrals.
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