All businesses need feedback from their customers, potential future clients, employees and vendors. But how do you go about getting this feedback or soliciting these questions to insure you get the input you need to run an on-going successful business? Recently I noticed a non-profit group soliciting ideas and questions. And their headline was; Donate Your Question. Well in considering this I remembered a few years back the company I built and how many times people would not comment; good, bad or otherwise. Well some would say that; No News is Good News right? Yet as an entrepreneur I knew I had to get into the minds of the customer to better my products and services. I also knew that I needed to be one with my vendors and their knowledge was paramount to streamlining my operation and being able to deliver what the customers desired once I had that information. Employees too as any good business executive knows hold the keys to your business. Often they put a face on your business and the front line can make or break your company, image and brand. They can create goodwill extremely fast or lose it for you even faster. So ask your customers to donate their question. Everyone likes to give or donate, it is human nature, so instead of asking of their time to fill out a form online or fill out a customer survey you should be asking them to Donate a Question. Then when they fill out the form or survey they are donating to your company and this also has a Buy-In Affect as well. This bonds your customer to your business and helps you get into their minds and understand their desires, wants and needs, as well as why they buy from your company and what you can do to sell them more. You need the comments, questions and information and you need it in real-time, so ask them to Donate a Question and you will be glad you did. Consider this in 2006. |
