Why did you not call?

Not sure if you noticed that there was no RetailSmart post last week. My guess is not.

Nobody called to enquire simply because the ideas, insights, opinions expressed in this blog, whilst hopefully informative and maybe even entertaining, do not form an integral part of your life.

If you were a customer of mine, that would be devastating.

If my customers don’t miss an update or an output of mine, then I would be in serious trouble. (Fortunately, the reason for the missed post was because I was delivering some of those outputs.)

But it does raise the question:

Would your customers *really* miss you if your business disappeared overnight?

If not, what are you doing about it?

If so, do you really know why? And can you sustainably defend that reason?

To be sure: I am not referring to your ‘competitive advantage’. I am not a fan of the concept because it suggests to me that you are keeping an eye on the competition instead of worrying about your own business and keeping an eye on the customer. I am referring to the notion of having a strong (in-demand) retail proposition.

And the most important question of all is this:

Would your customers really agree with your answer above?

Comments

[Dov Gordon]

Hi Dennis,

Definitely agree with your point about competitive advantage. I ask the question of "How do your customers need to perceive you in order to want to do business with you?"

This places the focus on the customer. And it pushes you to really understand what your customer looks for. Customers will always be looking for this or that advantage. So it helps a business focus on what matters to their customers.

Welcome back. ;-)

Dov

[Malena]

Hi Dennis,
I think otherwise, ideas, insights, opinions expressed in this blog, I find informative and even entertaining, and do form an integral part of my life, to a degree.
My not questioning why you had no update does not necessarily mean I do not miss your blog, simply that I look at it as you having a reason behind not updating. Am I being a mediocre customer here if I have that attitude, you think? Just curious because perhaps I should change my mindset.
I have a website but no blog,now I think that;s bad news, don't you think so? I'm just worried I may not be able to keep the push on maintaining a blog and end up with the scenario you have just put forward. How do you maintain a blog so that it drives your customer to the point where they will notice and miss not having an update and rant and rave about it? Any suggestions, anyone?
Cheers
Malena

www.show-offs.com.au

[DennisPrice]

Malena - thanks for the comment.
Don't get me wrong: I appreciate every reader and I check the numbers all the time. All writers are a bit vain ;-). What I was trying to say was that the blog is not my 'business' and I don't rely on that traffic to make me money. If I did, I would be in trouble.

So I don't consider you a customer HERE - but rather someone on a journey where our paths sometimes intersect - hopefully in a good way. (And thanks for your kind observation.)

The bigger point was to ask the readers like yourself whether your customers would miss your business if it was not there tomorrow?

That is - are you INDISPENSABLE in meeting a real need?

I hope I am in my real job.

The question is for you the same: Are you meeting that need in such a way that your customers would miss you?

(Like we would miss McDonalds if they weren't around any more?)

To your own situation:
I agree - do NOT start a blog if you are not going to keep it up. (I average 2.2. posts a week over the last 3 years). It takes a great deal of time. There are other - possibly better ways to connect with your customers and a blog is by no means a must have - like some social media pundits will tell you. (They are bloggers so they will tell you that of course.)

All you have to do is figure out who your customers are, what they really need and then the best way of connecting with them.

If the connection is REAL - you won't have to try and sell because they will want to buy.

Thanks for reading.

(Like your website concept BTW)