Setting the Stage
I’m in line at a Starbucks.
Calm music is playing in the background.
The amazing sell of freshly brewed coffee is in the air.
Some people are reading, others are just relaxing, and small groups of people are smiling and talking to each other.
The vibe feels cool today, I can definitely get down with this.
I’m happy, it has a home-like feel to it. I guess it’s my turn now…
“Hi there! Could I have a medium, or whatever size you guys have that is supposed to be medium, black coffee please?”
The Feelings of Business
If you’re reading this blog, it means you’re in business – and if you’re in business, one of the most important things I could ever teach you is that people don’t buy with their heads, they buy with their hearts.
If you’re competing with other businesses for money, you’re playing the wrong game.
The only real competition in today’s marketplace is for your customer’s heart. If you touch the hearts of the customers you serve, they will always come back for more.
The engagement of emotion is what keeps them coming back and referring others – missing this insight could be the end of your business.
Just think about it…
How many people could spend ¼ of the price for a cup of coffee somewhere else?
Apparently, a lot, since Starbucks has a yearly revenue of over $20 billion in sales.
But it doesn’t matter, I like the way Starbucks makes me feel.
Relaxed.
Happy.
Good.
And even professional sometimes, even though that doesn’t really make much sense since I’m just getting a coffee.
There’s a coffee shop closer to my house then Starbucks, and it’s also cheaper. So, if I just wanted coffee, that would probably be the way to go.
But, doesn’t anybody really just want anything?
Think about it…
All of your favorite places to go have an ambiance to them that you enjoy being around that is different then what you are purchasing at that particular place.
You can buy popcorn anywhere, but it’s not like it is at the movies – because you feel good associating it to entertainment and memories.
You can buy turkeys year-round, but it’s not like it is at Grandma’s for the holiday – because you feel at home there.
You can buy a filet mignon at a grocery store for a fraction of the price – but you like going out with your partner to an expensive restaurant because of how you feel about the mood they set for you with their décor and lighting.
Each of us craves good feelings just as much as we crave anything else, it’s human nature. Some business owners don’t ever see this and continue to compete on price, yet human beings drive themselves into debt on a weekly basis doing the things that make them feel a certain way. Even when it is completely illogical.
People Go Where They Feel Good
Or, to put it another way…
Humans beings will only ever move when you make them feel moved.
Emotional engagement drives sales, and sales drives business.
Treat your customers like they are your family, because if they are only with you for your price then you will constantly be vulnerable to losing them whenever ANYBODY in your market puts a sale on.
And you would deserve to lose them too because you failed to make an emotional connection with them.
But, when your customers love you – because you have touched their hearts by the way that you occur in their lives – you become a part of their extended family as well.
You’re a part of their life, a part of their community, and a part of their referral stream of friends, family, and co-workers. They’ll also take care of you when times get tough, just like any good friend would.
Final Thoughts
I’ll keep going to Starbucks.
I like it there.
And if you ever come by, I’ll be the dude tucked away in a quiet corner on his laptop writing a blog while sipping on a black coffee that he didn’t know what size he was getting.
I’ll have a smile on my face, and I’ll come back tomorrow.
That’s the art of selling.
Dan Garner
