What are the best ways to communicate with non-tech customers?

In my experience, building a relationship based on realworld commonalities has served me well. I have found that when you pay attention to what the people around you are passionate about, you can leverage it to make examples that are easily digestable by the NTC(Non-Tech Customer) You cannot (or should not) pitch someone without first UNDERSTANDING their pains, needs and goals. As for NTC - knowing how they communicate will provide you with the edge needed to position yourself as a trusted advisor. As mentioned by most here, understand what the NTC needs, communicate clearly on the NTC level and provide trustworthy advice. I like the take it or leave it attittude, they usually come back inquiring for more. Less force=More impact.

While communicating with non-tech customers you should be especially conscious of language and word choice. Minimalizing jargon cannot be stressed enough. Convey messages in simple terms that relate to the customer's process, not your solution. Embrace the fact that your customer has more knowledge about their industry than you do and let them educate you as much as you educate them.

Real sales people care. Discovery can be utilized as a weapon for a polished and honed pitch. Or, it can be crafted from the depths of a person’s commitment to matching what they offer with people who will really benefit. Once you know what a prospect needs, and all the reasons why, you become a resource. You become a provider. Closing the deal from that foundation becomes significantly easier.

In my opinion, for non-tech customers it is important to encourage dialogue and understand their specific needs and concerns. This way, you can tailor your explanation to their level of understanding. By simplifying and avoiding technical terms, acronyms, and jargon, you can effectively communicate tech concepts or features using relatable analogies or everyday examples. This is the key to ensuring clarity. Additionally, sharing real-life examples of how your product or service has positively impacted others similar to them not only builds trust but also demonstrates the tangible value you bring to the table.

Sales are won or lost in discovery. In order to nail positioning, you have to learn who you are talking to. Their role, their business, their goals, their experience purchasing technology... the list here should be long. On top of discovery, the art of story telling is incredibly important in sales. A great way to improve this is to share customer stories internally... early and often. Talk about customers and what they like about your product. Practice being able to tell them and come up with dozens...eventually hundreds of these. Practice this daily!

Visuals and demos are great when used to tell a story. The story must be the center, well designed for making the audience feel represented and understand how the demonstrated product will resolve their problems.

La visualización directa es beneficiosa para los clientes no tecnológicos. Usar herramientas visuales como gráficos, imágenes o demostraciones en vivo les ayuda a comprender mejor cómo su producto o servicio puede resolver sus problemas. Demostrar la funcionalidad a través de ejemplos tangibles o simulaciones ayuda a las personas a comprender mejor y tomar mejores decisiones.

Besides showing visuals and demos, sharing stories about companies like your prospect's can be really powerful. When your prospects hear about another company in the same area or industry that had similar issues and solved them with your software, it helps them picture using your software too. Tell them how the other company used it and explain how it could work for your prospect as well. It makes the whole idea more relatable and easier to understand.

As someone who can get wrapped up in all the technical functions of a solution, I find it essential to write out 2-3 key value drivers (based on prior discovery) before I start any demo. Any feature or function I show has to line up with one of those value drivers. If I don't do this, we end up in the weeds in a hurry and I get a lot of confused looks.

Make sure when you are giving a demo that you don't create a monologue. Add benefits of using the software to everything you show (just one or two)

Business leaders are very well aware of their organisation’s challenges, limitations and realistic speed of change. They value openly sharing experiences on the good, the bad and the potential of innovative technologies, only if they are applicable to their industry. The art lies in the fact to recognise the organisation’s state, underserved needs and business priorities. Once you can match these with proven implementations, I’m pretty sure that follow up talks and plans will follow. Remember that we have two ears, and only one mouth. ??

It’s common with sales people who think sales is all about talking but I believe it’s more about listening. The better you’re as a listener, read between lines, understand customers body language, etc. the better you get at sales. This doesn’t just help understanding your customer needs but also gives you an opportunity to build relationships which is the basis fit every sale you make.

From what I've noticed, there's a common belief in sales that sticking strictly to a script or a set process is key. But sometimes, this approach can hinder genuine listening. It might convey a sense of being solely focused on your own goals rather than the customer's needs. A different approach is to engage in a conversation akin to chatting with a friend. Take an interest in their story. Listen actively and respond with authentic curiosity. Show that you've absorbed their words by asking insightful follow-up questions, demonstrating a sincere desire to understand and connect.

Listening is one of the most important things when it comes to dealing with non technical clients as if you are listening to their problems carefully there are very high chances of solving their difficulties with the help of your services or product. You don't need to explain the technicalities to them. Just listen to their problems and try to solve them.

Escuchar activamente las preocupaciones del cliente es esencial para una comunicación efectiva. Les permite expresar sus preocupaciones y sentirse comprendidos al escuchar con empatía. Ayuda a construir relaciones sólidas basadas en la confianza y el respeto mutuo respetar sus opiniones y mostrar interés genuino en sus necesidades.

Being in sales for more than 2 decades now, I have witnessed the 180 degree shift in term of customer education. Earlier, customers were dependent on sales persons to get educated about pros & cons of the competitions & industries. However with the accessibility of knowledge on the finger tips the story has completely changed, now customers have overload of the knowledge which confuse them to take the right decision for a product of services. Hence the role of sales person is to simplify the solutions for the customers by removing the not required information. And your customer would appriciate & trust you for simplifying this complex knowledge matrix for them. Action Points: 1. Declutter the knowledge 2. Simplify complex solutions

Teach, tailor, and take control. Education in sales is incredibly important and I'd highly recommend that you gain expertise in not just your product, but your category. You want your customer to see you as a smart and trusty guide. Not just in your products, but in the area of business that you work. "Show me you know me"

Aumentar la confianza de los clientes educando e informando adecuadamente. Pueden comprender mejor tu producto y cómo pueden beneficiarse de él si les brindas recursos educativos como guías o tutoriales. Les da confianza para adoptar un producto o tecnología al brindarles las herramientas para dominarlos.

From my experience, a key to effective communication with non-tech customers, especially in the diverse markets of the Middle East and Africa, is to blend education and empowerment with success stories. Share compelling case studies, testimonials, and reviews to illustrate how others have benefited from your product or solution. These success stories not only provide tangible examples but also inspire confidence and trust, creating a more relatable and convincing narrative for your audience.

An effective approach to educate non-tech customers is to ask for a common task within their company or department. Ask them to outline the steps they currently follow to complete this specific task. Then, set up a demo or trial phase with your software, enabling your non-tech customer to replicate their usual steps but in a simpler and more satisfying manner. This hands-on experience allows the customer to learn through practical engagement rather than just through verbal explanation.

I believe it's the human touch that truly seals the deal. Remember, people buy from people, not just logos. So personalize your follow-up, build trust as a partner, not a pitchman, and show genuine care for their needs. Position your tech as the solution, not just a product, and make them feel valued. By injecting the human touch, you turn prospects into loyal customers. After all, organizations are only Ecosystems; it's the human connections that drive the success of every transaction.

Maintaining consistent communication after the initial contact is of utmost importance. Regular check-ins, ongoing support, and fulfilling commitments showcase a genuine concern for your satisfaction. This fosters stronger relationships and enhances customer loyalty.

Es fundamental mantener una comunicación constante después del primer contacto. Los seguimientos regulares, el soporte continuo y el cumplimiento de lo prometido demuestran que están preocupados por su satisfacción. Como resultado, la relación se fortalece y la fidelidad del cliente aumenta.

This is a non-negotiable. Follow up always and clearly showing that you were listening to what the prospective customer said. Be detailed in your understanding of next steps. Validate that understanding with them so that you can effectively move things through a process.

Following up with customers is a difficult thing to do until I just do it. Customers really appreciate the simple things like a follow up phone call or email.

Let’s get real… Non-tech customers don’t care and are not paid to care about tech. They care about their business risk and business value and specifically what ever KPIs thrust upon them by their executive and/or board. Framing our solutions, services, capability etc in a way that can align back to either reducing risk and/or adding value will be the best way to be relevant to your non-tech customer. Having said all that, getting any air time at all may take time and a whole different set of tactics that may be best left to another article.

This may be old school but my favorite communication always happens in person. I'd venture to say non-technical customers also value the human interaction and getting away from a Zoom screen. Make an effort where possible to spend time together.

Presenting tech solution to non-tech customer can only be done using:- - Customer's own business terms and mapping with internal/ external processes - Usability of the solution being pitched in customer's business - Relating the solution with customer's business vision for next 3-5 years at least - Sharing success stories of other companies in the same/ similar industry especially if you have delivered solution in it - Know your customer's industry, business and its pain area - Hear out the client first and understand what it needs, then talk about the solution you have. Even if your company is new to the industry, you need to talk about a solution that solves the pain area, is in-sync with client's expectations, and makes business sense.

In my experience, it is key to have a deep understanding of the technology to be able to articulate the benefits and translate the message into tangible business outcomes for a non-technical audience.

I agree with in person communication, but in my experience I’ve found that tying back business value and solutions to challenges always resonates.