Notes
It’s surprising how many people make the mistake of assuming that everyone is just like them or that approaches which work with one person or group of people will automatically work with another.
That means they end up developing products or delivering services that reflect their own views or desires rather than the needs of their customers.
Or they use arguments and messages in communication that appeal to themselves or which worked with one specific segment of their market.
And then they wonder why they don’t have enough customers.
Just think for a moment about the word ‘football’.
Wherever you are in the world, this could mean something entirely different.
In the USA, it conjures up a particular image while in Europe the rules and shape of the ball would be completely different.
Even within Europe, it could be several different sports – and in Australia, it could be something else entirely.
The trick in marketing is to see something wholly from the perspective of your customer or prospect.
The more effectively you are able to do that, the more successful you will be. Dale Carnegie – possibly the world’s best-known coach and writer on personal success – said ‘There is
The trick in marketing is to see something wholly from the perspective of your customer or prospect.
Belief 1: Everyone has Their Own Unique ‘Model of the World’ only one way under high heaven to get anybody to do anything and that is to make them want to do it.’
In order to get anywhere close to achieving that, you have to recognize that every person is unique.
Of course, you don’t have to agree with the way someone else sees the world. You may not even understand why they think that way.
You may believe that you would have different beliefs if you were in their shoes.
But, as soon as you start judging someone else’s viewpoint, you lose the ability to do business with them successfully.
This does not mean that you have to change your own mind in any way or that you need to be less than honest about your own beliefs.
You must simply be able to view the situation from the other person’s perspective.
In Steven Covey’s book ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ he tells a story about somebody going to an optometrist with an eye problem.
The patient says, “The problem is that I can’t read.”
The optometrist says, “That’s funny. I’ve got exactly the same problem. Here are my glasses.” He hands over the glasses.
The patient says, “It’s no good. I still can’t read.” The optometrist says, “Well, that’s strange. It works for me. I don’t understand why it shouldn’t work for you.”
Notes
The habit he is discussing is “Before you seek to be understood, seek first to understand.”
The eye story is a great way of making the point.
Literally, you have to see through other people’s eyes before you can begin to even think about communicating with them.
It seems almost like a joke but it’s so often the way that people behave in business. The path to success is taking a different approach.
If you can see the world through your customer’s eyes, you will have a much greater chance of doing business with them.
