Dropped,Jaw,Syndrome,Your,Fast marketing Dropped Jaw Syndrome, Your Fastest, Most Reliable Market Tes
Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t
Dropped Jaw Syndrome, Your Fastest, Most Reliable Market TestDr. Lynella GrantBusiness owners should be more like doctors.Forget selling and start asking your customers where theyhurt. Broken leg? Ulcer? Empty wallet?Don't sell, diagnose. And what are you as a doctor lookingfor? Well, of course: that ever-illusive, yet ever-profitable disease called Dropped Jaw Syndrome.OK, it may not be in any medical book. But Dropped JawSyndrome, however rare, is known to anyone whos ever triedto sell something. The customer walks into your store,listens to your pitch and falls into an awestruck trance."I'll take three of them."Joking aside, the dropped jaw, or at least its symptoms, arethe fuel behind every sale. When a customer is persuaded tobuy, their reaction isnt logical. Youve connected with thepart of their brain that decides if you and your product arebelievable, the limbic system. Sure, you still need topersuade with facts, but logic is a distant second to theirdesire to buy, their reflexive dropping jaw.Diagnosing Dropped JawThe key is finding the dropped jaw, tracking the symptomsback to their source. But its there. And its quite easy tofind once you stop thinking about your product for a momentand focus on the customer... I mean, patient.Dont believe me? Well, put on a white coat, hang astethoscope around your neck and do some market tests ofyour own. But this is a test you have to do face to face.Forget the demographic studies, sales plans and benchmarkreports, and get in front of a customer.Now, take his temperature, make your pitch. And follow itthrough the customers reaction.Did his jaw drop? Hmm. You must have done something wrong.Try again, but listen like a doctor searching for a heartmurmur. Ask a question, offer information, and then hear thesubtleties of his response. And when youre diagnosing acustomer, instead of trying to sell your product, somethingchanges.You become more attuned to the subtle dropped jaw andrelated body language. And you ask more accurate questions.You notice which of the claims and benefits penetrate thecustomers protective indifference, sparking real interest.Of course, most salespeople already do this to a degree, butit must be done intentionally, consciously.The true advantage of Dropped Jaw Syndrome comes fromchanging your role for a moment, from selling and telling toassessing what customers want, even when they cant say itin words. Demand that you live up to their desires. Becauseif youre not dropping jaws, youre in danger of fallingbehind the competition. Worse, youre probably overlookingyour companys uniqueness.Diagnosing Your PitchIn searching for dropped-jaw reactions, some companies havemade unbelievable claims central to their promotions. Weveall seen the TV commercials where "Crazy Joe" says hes soinsane hes practically giving away the furniture in hisstore.Better are claims that are striking and stand out from thecompetition, but dont over-promise. Consider "Have it yourway" (Burger King) or "It takes a licking and keeps onticking" (Timex). In establishing your own uniqueproposition, the dropped jaw test is quick and reliable.Customers, whether they know it or not, are very good atdistinguishing between businesses they trust and those theydont. Let them tell you how youre doing.Building Customer ConfidenceI discovered the Dropped Jaw Syndrome years ago. It startedwith my claim that I can assess the health of a business bylooking only at its business card. And when I would pointout the subtle messages on their cards, most of themunintended, peoples jaws would drop.The value of the dropped jaw test is the perspective itimparts. By listening to the customer or putting yourself inher shoes, youre more likely to notice the "small potatoes"signals youre sending. Such telltale signs arent based onthe business size or age. But once you recognize them theycan be easily repaired.As you play doctor, its your job to notice what hurts thecustomer and cure it. When you find ways to make yourcustomers jaws drop, youll take their pain away. And thatwill make your business a healthy one. ©2003 Lynella Grant
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