Before the introduction of business technology, the traditional marketing model remained unchanged. This reduced consumer choices. Marketing opportunities to learn about competing products or services were limited.
Before the digital revolution, we may have heard about a product from advertising on TV, radio, or newspaper. (Remember those?) However, to experience the product or service, we made our way to a brick-and-mortar establishment. It was only at that point that comparison shopping took place.
Today, the consumer’s purchasing journey is an entirely new game. With the onset of technology, and the inception of digital marketing, 81% of today’s consumers conduct research online before their final buying decision.
In 2011, Google conducted a study ascertaining the number of sources of information consumed before making a purchase. At that time, an average of 10.4 sources was consumed from first viewing an ad to the product purchase. By 2015, that number had doubled to an average of 22 references.
The information available digitally for today’s consumer is so complete that most consumers make their purchasing decision well before entering a store or clicking “add to cart.”
What does this mean for your business?
By taking charge of the moments of truth in your business, you can be among the 20+ pieces of information that consumers consume on their way to their purchasing decision.
Moments of Truth: Today’s Map for Business Marketing
Moments of truth can seem insignificant to a small business owner when they’re happening. Clients, however, have an entirely different reaction. For instance, if a potential client calls you and you don’t give them your full attention because of an office distraction, their impression may be that you are unfocused, unprofessional, and perhaps unworthy of their business. Situations like this can spell disaster for any business.
So, what’s a moment of truth?
A moment of truth is a sliver of time when clients or prospects interact with your business and decide whether or not to do business with you, share you with their network, or use your products/services again.
Jan Carlzon, in his book, Moments of Truth, defines them as “anytime a customer comes into contact with any aspect of a business, however remote, [as] an opportunity to form an impression.”
Some of the everyday moments of truth include:
- When a person hears someone else praise you or your work.
- When a person likes your physical presentation, including your website, appearance, handshake, voice, or smile.
- When a person is touched intellectually and emotionally by what you say.
- When a person recognizes you as a model of whom or what they would like to become.
- When a person experiences you are consistently excellent technically.
- When a person knows you care.
- When a person feels they and their information are safe with you.
- When a person trusts your professional credentials.
- When a person thinks they will be challenged and get what they need from you.
- When a person pays your fee without any conversation.
- When a person looks forward to small gifts and thoughtful messages from you.
- When a person knows you will make it right for them if they have a complaint.
- When a person knows your fee is slightly above the industry standard and feels you’re worth it.
- When a person is sure that their success and well-being are your priority.
- When a person knows you never stop growing professionally.
- When you ask a person to tell you their expectations and frustrations about the service you provide.
- When a person knows you have designed your business around what’s convenient for them.
- When a person can reach you effortlessly.
- When a person can count on you to treat them as a unique individual with unique needs.
- When a person knows you will remember their kids’ names and send them a card on their birthday.
Strengthening the moments of truth in your business ensures your clients remain on the continuum of the nine steps to building trust. The outcome? A measurable increase in client acquisition, retention, and sales.
The Strategic Role in Mapping Your Moments of Truth
One of the roles of a strategic small business coach is to ensure your business makes the right impression when interacting with clients and prospects. As an advocate for small business owners, a coach provides an objective evaluation that can make the difference between a client passing on your business for one of your competitors and landing that next big sale.
However, you may ask yourself these common strategic questions to refine how you handle the moments of truth in your business.
- What are the various touchpoints of our business, such as your Web site, meeting at a networking event, sending an email, or leaving a voicemail message during which a potential client develops an impression?
- What is the current impression our clients and prospects experience?
- What is our intended impression? Where are the gaps?
- What changes ensure each impression is the one we want our client to experience?
- Who will make those changes?
- When will those changes be made?
- How will we measure the effectiveness of your changes?
Analyzing your moments of truth bring clarity to your business. And, with the right strategies you can create impressions to turn the most skeptical prospect into your company’s most enthusiastic advocate.
