Power to the Customers
The phrase “The customer is always right” was originally coined in 1909 by Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge's department store in London.
Today I think it’s more accurate to say, the customer will do business on their terms (with or without you).
As online business owners we often want our customers to fit into one of three neat little boxes:
Courses, Coaching, Done for You.
As far as delivery and business models, that varies from one to one to group, live calls etc. You can look at any number of online business however and find that almost always the customer is being put into one of these three boxes, however.
That’s about to change.. at least it needs to.
I believe that the businesses that will thrive over the next decade will offer a hybrid, to be determined by the customer, of all three.
I believe that some customers are self-starters and will take the course and run with it. Others will want to learn some things on their own, have some guidance (coaching) on some things and turn over some things to be done for them.
They’ll want this all under one roof, all at the click of a button (or two) and they’ll want live chat support throughout the whole process.
No, they don’t want to fill out an application in order to get their questions answered, they’ll want to live chat.
The business owners that stay set in their ways and put up obstacles to doing business with them will suffer. I won’t say they’ll go out of business but certainly some will.
The customer has been given the power of choice in nearly every single aspect of their lives… except when dealing with online Coaches, Consultants, and Experts.
It’s time to change things up. It’s time to create business models that are flexible. It’s time to be helpful and available to your clients and potential clients.
Founder of WIN: Women's Impact Network: Empowering mission-driven women to create a legacy of health, wealth & freedom / Faith-Based Business Mentor / Promoting Peace, Prosperity & Purpose
5 年Jared, so many people have been burned by fast talking online marketers who don't deliver ROI. Customers should expect results and providers should do what it takes to deliver. As long as the client is showing up and doing the work, I believe they deserve a guarantee.
Maximize Profits & Save Time by retaining your best Employees, Members and Customers ? It's Science: 96,000,000 data points from 550 companies ? SURVEY Magazine's Technology Visionary ? Author of *The Survey Playbook*
5 年This is a great discussion, I'm following!? Reminds me of the outdated launch formula model: "No, you can't buy what I'm selling until you watch 3 lengthy videos (which sound pretty much like everyone else's script of the same 3 videos) and then during a 4th video I will THEN allow you to buy it.? But not sooner.? And not after midnight of the 5th day following the 4th video.? Really?? Like dog poop in the grooves of your shoe, that model seems to never go away.
helps businesswomen turn their knowledge and expertise into profitable businesses and sustainable income through SMARTSTART, an empowerment program for rewriting the rules of business and life.
5 年I believe in offering options at different pricepoints, but not in being available 24/7.
CEO of Phonica. A free language learning app & social network that will educate the world.
5 年Yea, I feel as though it is just an ego move on their part, which is similar to the notion of "either like me as I am or leave", and which in many cases, the person is just an a-hole and doesn't want to change.?
? Author | Entrepreneur | Co-Founder at Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale | Head Recommender at Family Friendly Fort Lauderdale (student media project)
5 年I am going to offer a contrarian example, not to dispute but in the interest of exploring this topic more deeply. The BEST coaches and mentors I have worked with, have been the most demanding with very specific "rules of engagement" that made it harder, not easier to work with them. In hindsight I believe this contributed to a psychological investment greater than the financial, and resulted in better outcomes.? Kind of like my most demanding professors and teachers were also the most? memorable.