Yes, perception is everything–the perception of your customer!

 The view your customer has of your business–you, your product, or your services–is the reality of your life in the marketplace.  No matter what you may prefer the customer’s opinion to be, what the opinion actually is is the controlling factor–the reality of what you must deal with in your market.

Having said that, I should add that your customer’s perception is never fixed and unchangeable.  If your customer has a perception of your business you prefer he or she not have, you are in the best position to change that perception.

It might seem like a relief to be able to grab the customer with an erroneous perception by the scruff of the neck and say, ”Your perception is wrong–here’s what it should be!” and change his or her mind that way.  However, life is rarely that effecient especially in the marketplace.  Instead, we marketeers must be far more skillful than that.

Most of the time we do not change the opinion of another human being quickly and dramatically.  Instead, we must begin the process and proceed gradually changing the customer’s opinion gradually but only as quickly as he or she will permit.  Trying to accelerate this process more rapidly will usually slow the process dramatically if not bring things to a screeching halt.  We do NOT want our customers to opt out of the process and go to a competitor, do we?

Educators have understood this principle for centuries.  When teaching/educating another person, you must begin with the place of understanding of the student/customer and “educate” him or her but only at the pace which he or she will allow.  This may be due to limited understanding or a limited willingness to understand.

Changing the perception your customers have of your business is a process, not of telling or selling them, but of educating them.  They will be willing to learn but likely will not be willing to be sold to.  In either case, they will respond much better to a gradual and consistent process of that education.

You certainly must be prepared to earn your customers’ willingness to listen to what you have to say long enough to change their perception of you and your business.  That is done with a consistent and cohesive message that is well-crafted to initiate and continue that process.

Make marketing excellence your overarching goal!

To your business success!

Paul Elliott
Marketing With Unbelievable Guarantees!™
http://www.MarketingSuccessBlueprint.com/blog

© 2008, Paul Elliott, All rights reserved world wide.