My goal is to help you increase your store's value by improving people's lives.
As you help people improve results & avoid disappointment, you increase your store's value.
In the USA, people have the right to "the pursuit of happiness." That pursuit can be in many directions, so people need a plan focused in one direction.
The best pursuit will fail without the right tools & materials to make plans effective. After people define what brings happiness, retailers can help them find & use products in step-by-step plans.
People pursue happiness if they believe they can achieve it. You should show what's available to make happiness achievable & offer ways to use products to fulfill their hopes.
People Find Happiness In Experiences.
Some products have little value until results are produced. Happiness requires many factors; products can't fulfill each factor. Tangible results require action guided by knowledge, so you should offer products & knowledge.
Some people need help applying instructions of multiple tools & materials to affect conditions. You can coordinate instructions to guide people in using your resources to create & maintain results.
Though people want more happiness, they'll probably do more to avoid losing what brings happiness now.
Depending on how much specialized knowledge & skill is necessary, you can help people create & maintain happiness with various service levels.
You can create packages including materials & tools, plus some service. Services can be installation, maintenance & repairs or advice to help people do tasks.
In full-service packages, professionals could do initial setups & scheduled maintenance.
In partial-service packages, customers could be independent except for professionals doing specialized tasks.
Self-service packages could include advice &/or full lessons about initial setup & maintenance.
You should consider allowing upgrades to more service because conditions could change.
People need personal advice because typical advice & tutorials might be wrong for some conditions. Advice should include reviewing conditions & determining what to do & not do.
When people don't know what they need, you can help them recognize & interpret symptoms with questions & insights. Example: 'Have you noticed __? It could mean __. If there's also __, you need__.'
Since you're in business to help people improve their lives, you need to know which problems are high priorities.
Here are examples of offers based on priorities:
"When your reputation is on the line, you need __."
"When happiness requires __, you need __ because __."
"When satisfaction means __, ask for__. You'll find it at__."
"When a job well-done includes __, start your task with__."
"When a full solution requires __, settle for nothing less than __."
"When you only have one chance to get it right, you need __."
"When success means __, you need __ because __."
"When you need to avoid/end __, it's time for __."
You can make these statements when you know how to use products to produce promised results.
Check your ability to fulfill these statements by asking your staff & customers what's necessary. You need this information, so you know what to offer.
What do you need to learn about products & customers' conditions? What should your inventory be? Which services should you add?
As you get answers, setup procedures to quickly deliver what customers come to get.
Gaining Benefits From Results
Let's use equations to define terms. Plans = Methods + Knowledge;
Results = Plans + Work + Materials + Tools + Conditions; Benefits = Results + Information
When people have suitable plans, materials & tools, conditions might not be ready. Example: People delay repairs because of storms. If storms increase damage, people might need your help to adjust plans & use different materials.
If people work long enough at the right time, their results will be improved conditions. By applying information, they can maintain benefits of improved conditions.
Though consumers want better conditions, big box stores sell products, not results. You should differentiate your store by offering results.
You can create better results by collaborating with customers. This collaboration can produce information to turn results into benefits & prevent problems.
Example: Cars & parts are products. Repairs are results. Transportation is a benefit. To produce that lasting benefit, help people understand how to prevent break downs.
Questions & checklists can help people customize results by adapting tools & materials.
Develop questions & checklists to: 1- Match consumers' desires & conditions with products & services; & 2- Help people produce & maintain necessary results & benefits.
Example: Is cold air entering through a crack or hole? Cracks can be sealed with caulk. Small holes can be sealed with a mixture of caulk & steel wool.
Offer Better Experiences
What can you offer to improve popular experiences? At minimum, describe how you can improve what people usually do, example: 'While most people are (doing common activities), you'll be (enhanced experience) because you'll have (product/service result).'
You can arrange alternative experiences. 'Free yourself from tiresome tedium. Break free with (product/service). It's the recreation you need because (product/service result) will restore your morale. You deserve relief. It's hard to renew yourself when you're frustrated in the same old situation. You need to get away to refresh & in effect, press your reset button.'
If people want different experiences, they might need instructions & supplies. If they want the same experiences again, they might only need to replace consumable products.
Consider which experiences people can create with your products: 1- What do people need to know? 2- Do they need products you don't offer? 3- Do they need professional services?
Can you supply everything people need for their desired experiences? Do you refer people to other businesses for products & services you don't offer?
You can collaborate with other businesses & customers to coordinate inventories & develop plans to help people create experiences. This combination of resources can produce more value than discount stores that only offer cheap products.
More Than Product Claims
Do more than make product claims, explain how to use products to produce results. Apply manufacturers' product claims to local conditions. It's especially good if you recommend products based on personal experience.
Possible Example:
'Finally dry weather! Rain was on its way as I rushed home. The trimmer is ergonomic & well-balanced to reduce operator fatigue. The battery provides fade-free power. It's easier to use than other trimmers. I finished about 45 minutes earlier than I did with the old trimmer. My wife was waiting when I walked in & ... she noticed I wasn't as tired as usual.'
Plan Results & Reduce Confusion
It's best to ask questions to form plans & reduce confusion. Which results will fulfill people's needs & desires? Which combination of tasks & products will produce those results? What do people need for specific tasks? Do people need help choosing & learning to use products? Who has the knowledge people need?
Confusion can cause mistakes & stress. People delay decisions & solutions when they're confused. By reducing confusion, you can create more value & sell more in less time.
To clear up confusion, help people outline their conditions, then prepare product & service options to fulfill their needs. Help people choose options by comparing their conditions with each option.
You can outline tasks to solve problems & prevent recurrences, then develop a plan based on the outline & chosen options.
Plans can include financial arrangements; assigning tasks; time for learning & doing tasks; or possibly scheduling professionals to do the work.
Recommendations For Specific Conditions
Hammer sellers might suggest using hammers. People want advice about what they need, not based on what retailers need to sell.
People are apt to ask questions, when they're sure they'll get unbiased advice.
Show your integrity by differentiating between advising what customers need & suggesting extra value. Example: 'This basic unit can __. This deluxe unit can __.'
Here are examples of product advice based on customers' needs:
'The basic version is the least expensive & yields short-term results. You can get fast results with this option, but it costs more. The deluxe version takes more time to apply & gives you longer quality.'
People might wonder about keeping or replacing things. People will realize your advice isn't based just on selling things if you show objective criteria about replacements.
Example: 'If you notice __, it means __. In that case, you should replace it with __.'
To novices, some tools seem interchangeable & confusing. Example: Some tasks can be done with a combination wrench set, an adjustable wrench or pliers.
Clear explanations help people determine what to buy for current & future tasks. Posters, checklists & flip chart summaries can help people choose what's best, example: 'When your issue is __, you need (product) because __.'
Summaries can help you also because your answer is ready when you're mentally processing multiple issues.
Thank you for using my blog. Please let me know if I should clarify anything.
Copyright 2018 Dennis S. Vogel All rights reserved.
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