Talk to the Expert

Some consumers make purchase decisions based on relationships and some make them purely on price. They are referred to as either Relational or Transactional customers.

If your business sells on price alone, this information may not pertain as much to you. If you would like to sell more on relationships, pay close attention and heed this information.

Chris Lytle, the author of The Accidental Salesperson, says “If you become known for what you know instead of what you sell, buyers will come to you for help and advice instead of the lowest price.” The good news is, they will pay more for your knowledge than they will for just the product!

Chris goes on to explain “To become known for what you know, you have to actively market your knowledge instead of your product.”

A group of hugely successful auto parts stores created a strong market position with the DIY category by promoting and exploiting the knowledge of their employees. They had employees that loved Ford, others that knew Chevy, Chrysler, or Dodge inside and out. Even some that were more knowledgeable about the older “muscle cars”. This knowledge took the focus off of the price and put it squarely on the fact that they had people with the knowledge, and they had the parts.

As they say, knowledge is power, and the more knowledge you are perceived to have, the more people will look at you and your company as the “experts”.

In Eight Ways to Market Your Knowledge, the author suggests that you have an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page on your website. Monitor the questions your customers are asking and publish your answers clearly in layman’s terms. Allow your prospects and customers to ask questions online, and always be prompt in posting your answers. Most importantly, take credit for your answers and make sure the public recognizes the answers came from you.