Empathizing with Your Customer

While the Big-3 auto makers continue spending their (same old same old) mass media dollars telling us that we can get the same pricing as their employees (same old, same old)... "second tier" companies are making more timely appeals:

Volkswagen is speaking to American families about "having it all" -- high mileage, best safety, and green manufacturing, and clean diesel technology.

Hyundai is hitting breadwinners where their fears live... "What if I lose my job?"  Their Assurance program lets customers bring their car back with no penalty they find themselves unemployed within 12 months of purchase.  

Now that's creative thinking.  Unclear whether we can hand it to Hyundai for the innovation, as they merely partnered with a company called WalkAway USA whose raison d'etre is such financing plans.  Nonetheless, Hyundai will undoubtedly receive credit in the mind of the consumer for respecting the tenuous economy.  

And that brand halo -- residing in the mind of the buying public -- will pay off for Hyundai!

60-Second Takeaway: Where are your opportunities to let your customers know you understand their situation, and demonstrate that you care?

Always Focus On the Customer

On ebay this evening, I was shopping for a pair of used inline skates for my son who seems to need a new pair every year.

Frequently I find that people do listings fairly quickly, just writing the product features (in this case, size/age/condition/etc.)  

But this one stood out, and really hit home about customer benefits.  I don't know the seller; I just grabbed the example for readers.  

I've used a blue font below to indicate the features/attributes of the skates, while the green font indicates the benefits copy -- how the skates are used, make life better, and fit into the "customer ecosystem".  

Excellent condition, Great ankle and heel and arch support, Boys or Girls Ferland inline Hockey skates, size 3 inches , heel to toe is 8 1/2 inches, these are top of the line for Ferland skates, are you tired of rental skates, too big, too small, smelly skates! , These can be used inside or outside, they are for the person who dares to have fun, who knows or wants to line skate with there own special skates, these will not let you down, when you need them, they will provide hours and hours of excercise which is so important for growning young people, excercise is very important these days, when schools are cutting back on PE and physical activitives, experts have stated that american children will have heart problems before they reach high school, why? Because they do not excercise!!! If you really care about your child's future and health this may be one way to make sure they live a long and healthy life style,if you are into jumps, turns, spins, and down and dirty skating that includes backward skating then you will be happy with these! No more rentals, all eyes will be on you, be the center off attention at where ever you skate!

208 words:  17% product features; 83% customer benefits.  I hope this specific example is as refreshing to you as it was me.

Do you realize that most of your competitors are focused on the features?  This is yet another way you can pull ahead in today's challenged global economy.  

60-Second Takeaway: How can you take market share today by siezing the power in front of you, or bringing in someone who can?