Clint Powell
So, what does your company smell like? Odd question, right? Well let me see if I can somehow herd the cats in my head and make sense of the silliness. Ever bought a new car? I am not talking about a ‘new to you preowned’ car – I mean a brand new – rolled off the transport truck – automobile?
You know the one that just smells like you should buy it? The leather, the carpet, the newness of it. Why do you think the sales person wants you in that car to drive? Well there are a few reasons, the least important is so they can give you facts about the car. The most three important reasons are:
Establish a relationship with you – even if it is superficial, it is the starting point of gaining your trust. After all we usually end up doing business with people we just ‘feel’ good about.
So you can see how the cars handles, how the leather feels when you sit in it, how cool the dashboard looks when you hit the ignition, and how it ‘feels’ to drive.
And so you can smell that new car. Let’ be honest that smell just gives you a good ‘feeling.’ Like this is something cool, something you deserve, something you want, something you should spend money on.
So if you have not picked up on it by now, the real question of this article isn’t about if your company smells good. It is how does your company make your customers ‘feel?' That is a very important question and one you better have the answer to. That is the reason people will do business with you or not do business with you.
If you are a commission sales rep you better know that answer too. Not only how does your company ‘smell,’ but does your personal brand stink or does it have all the powerful pungent perfume that your personality deserves?
Your emotional connection – your story – the way your customers feel about you - the need you meet - the way you make their life better. That is vital to knowing who you are as a company, where your company’s strengths are, and what you need to be building around. The worst thing you can do is assume you know your customers ‘why.'
The best way to find this out – ask. It’s simple: surveys, in store questionnaires, employees wearing ‘tell me your why’ and then giving a small gift when someone does, try and use different methods so you get a good sampling. Then keep and record the answers and data. Have a plan in place before you just start asking, but ask.
So how does your company smell? Spend some time figuring it out and I promise your business will grow and you will find that because you know what you’re really good at your goal setting, expectations, and overall employees and customer satisfaction will improve.
Now go sniff your company. (that sounded awkward and weird but I had to end it somehow)
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Clint Powell is owner of Connect Marketing, a full service advertising agency in Chattanooga. He is a graduate of Carson-Newman College. He has spent years in radio advertising sales and management, built and sold a billboard company and works on a contract basis with other ad agencies writing ad copy and helping formulate strategies. Clint has worked with hundreds of local and regional companies over the years and helped them develop advertising campaigns. He frequently leads marketing and advertising seminars and meetings for businesses and network groups. He believes that life is all about connections and spends his time connecting businesses and business owners to solutions. He sits on the board of Y-Cap (YMCA Community Action Program) and helps with several other non-profits. Clint currently resides in East Ridge with his wife and three children. He is also host of Marketing Mix Radio, a show designed around business and marketing, that airs Saturdays at 11am on 96.1 The Beat.