The secret of business success: endless customers

Marcus Sheridan has a Pool and spa manufacturing company In Virginia – not a very sexy business, unless you consider the final product, which is often surrounded by beautiful people. What he did to stand out on a market full of competition is a masterclass on how to get noticed and, more importantly, to do business. His most recent book, Endless customersis a follow -up of his successful book They ask, you answerWith updated information and new ideas that will help you create a business that has, as the title suggests, endless customers.

Sheridan's trip started in 2001 when he launched a swimming pool company with two friends. When the 2008 market collapse hit, they were about to lose everything. This crisis forced them to think differently about how to reach customers. Sheridan realized that potential buyers were looking for answers to their questions, so he decided that his business would become “the wikipedia of fiberglass pools”.

By reflecting on all the questions he had ever received as a swimming pool seller and answering them via online content, his company's website has become the most victim of trafficking in the world in a few years. This approach transformed his business and has become the foundation of his corporate philosophy.

In our interview on Incredible business radioSheridan has shared what he believes to be the most important strategy that companies can use to obtain and keep customers, and it is to become a known and confidence brand. They must immerse themselves in what he calls the Four pillars of a known and confidence brand.

1. Say what others are not willing to say: The reason n ° 1 for which people leave the websites is because they do not find what they are looking for – and the highest information is the prices. Sheridan underlines that companies should openly discuss costs and prices on their websites. Although you don't need to list the exact prices, you have to educate consumers about what increases or lower costs in your industry. Sheridan suggests creating a full price page that teaches potential customers how to buy in your industry. According to him, 90% of industries always avoid this conversation, even if that's what customers want the most.
2. Show what others are not willing to show: When the Sheridan Society made fiberglass pools, it became the first to show its manufacturing process from start to finish to a series of videos. They were so complete that someone could literally learn to start their own manufacturing business by watching these videos. Sheridan acknowledged that the sharing of “secret sauce” was a level of transparency that has strengthened confidence, helping to make your business the obvious choice for many customers.
3. Sell ​​so that others are not willing to sell: According to Sheridan, 75% of today's buyers prefer “sales experience without seller”. He says, “It doesn't mean we hate sellers. We just don't want to talk to them until we are very, very ready. ” Sheridan suggests meeting customers where they are by offering self-service options on your website. For its swimming pool and spa activity, which included a price estimator that helped potential customers determine how much they could afford, without the pressure to speak to a seller.
4. Be more human than others are ready to be: In a world that becomes dominated by AI and technology, showing the human side of a business is essential for a commercial relationship of trust. Sheridan suggests putting managers and employees on the camera. They are really the “brand's face”. It is normal to use AI, just find the balance that helps you stay human in a world dominated by technology.

While we finished the interview, I asked Sheridan to share his most powerful idea, and the answer dates back to a word that he used several times throughout the interview: confidence. “In times of change, we need, as business, constants who do not change,” said Sheridan. “One thing that I can assure you that in 10 years, you will be in a battle for confidence. It is the only thing that binds us all. It is the big currency that is not going to disappear. So, become that voice of confidence. If you do, your organization will be designed to last.”

And it is, according to Sheridan, how you create “endless customers”.