An owner of a small business typically has a lot of tools and tricks at his or her disposal to learn about customers and the industry – marketing, research, historical information – but one thing that is often overlooked is listening.
In fact, the best way to figure out the pulse of the people is to simply sit back and listen to what they have to say. Unfortunately, not enough small businesses do this, which can leave an opening for others to take advantage of the consumer base. Better yet, this measure can be the easiest one to implement out of all of them, because people never stop talking. They take to social media, online forums and other locations to voice their opinions, and this can usually be the best way to get information around.
With that in mind, a small business will want to listen more, because it can provide a number of benefits that will help a company boost its financial plan.
Figure out what customers need
One of the best reasons why a small business should listen to its customers is because doing so can easily figure out what they need. People know the answer to this important question, but for many ventures, it can be harder to really pinpoint their target audiences. Therefore, taking a step back and hearing what others have to say can be a great first step.
According to Entrepreneur magazine, understanding the desires and motivations of consumers will help sell products and services. A lack of knowledge here can be detrimental to a financial plan and throw off the entire business strategy for the company. Better yet, listening and responding can lead to increased brand loyalty. Once a person realizes that a firm has their best interests in mind, it will be easy to get them coming back for more.
In addition, listening can highlight some opportunities to become a thought leader. Entrepreneur magazine noted that many customers desire a resource that can be trusted and relied upon. So, a small business should be able to reveal important information, provide resources to simplify complicated problems and act as an expert in the industry. Doing so will help grow the company exponentially.
Listening can prevent problems
A small business will always make a mistake, especially while growing into a respected leader in its industry. This is why listening is so important at this stage – it can reveal a whole host of problems that would have otherwise slipped through the cracks.
Andy Grove, former Intel CEO, explained to FOXBusiness about several reasons why receiving valuable feedback can be crucial for any small business. For starters, he recommended that all companies quickly admit when they have made a mistake and take immediate actions to correct these errors. In many cases, it is easiest to get in front of a problem, rather than wait and hope it all goes away. If this latter course of action is chosen, it could cause negative sentiment surrounding the brand to increase, possibly leading to irreparable harm to the small business.
Above all else, an entrepreneur has to remember that the customers are what drive the small business. Without them, everything would fall apart quickly. That being said, listening to their opinions and experiences can be the best way to prevent problems from growing, learn proactive solutions and find new opportunities to grow. While many companies don't have enough time to worry about what customers are saying, this should never be the case for a fledgling venture. Instead, it should be the exact opposite.