Moving from buyer uncertainty to supplier of choice

Have you ever had the fun of doing a major renovation at home? It’s been three months, and our ensuite bathroom renovation still isn’t finished while we wait for our electrician to put in a couple of lights and an extraction fan to finish the job. Wow! What a process, and what a disruption.

First, we had to find the tiler and plumber we could afford and trust to do a quality job. Luckily, we found two great tradesmen who had just finished renovating a friend’s kitchen. Their workmanship was outstanding, and we hired them.

We then had to pick the tiles, the shower screen, the new vanity, a new loo, and all the tapware and showerhead. Then, do a little painting. The old shower had to come out, which meant turning the water off and removing the old tiles, the shower base and the screen. There was concrete dust everywhere, loud noise as they removed the tiles, and a pungent smell as the waterproofing dried over several days. These are just some of the inconveniences.

Every step of the way had the potential for disaster, mistakes and disorganisation. Instead, thanks to our terrific contractors, everything was planned perfectly, and with excellent communication and coordination, the whole project went like a dream.

Your prospective clients are similarly worried about things going wrong.

Which leads me to ask, what are the uncertainties your customers see in your business before they buy? Are they sure you can deliver your promised solution on time and within budget? Or do they have doubts? Do they have questions about the process of implementation, the disruption that will cause, and how you will minimise the adverse impacts? Do they feel comfortable with you and what you offer? What are their hidden questions of uncertainty?

There are many questions, often hidden away in the buyer’s mind. Knowing your prospect’s pain points and doubts provides a pathway to proving your understanding and demonstrating solutions that work. After all, stories sell, and using customer case studies and success stories will bring real customer experiences alive to prove you are the vendor of choice.