Business Success Rests on People, So How Well Do You Know Them?

Many new entrepreneurs have a shaky understanding of what exactly business success entails. It’s not the strength of their idea, or how many hours they’re willing to commit to building their empire. No, business success rests on only one thing: how much it’s valued by other people. If you don’t understand people, then there is no business. Squirrels and rabbits won’t be spending their money on your business; people will! Below, we take at look five human desires that you can incorporate into your company. 


Quality, Not Speed 

In this ever-changing world, speed is important. It is not, however, the most important thing; in fact, speed is just a bonus. Take Amazon. They do indeed excel at getting their goods to their customers in an impressively fast time, but that’s not why people use the website. They do it because the all around service and experience is second to none. When you’re figuring out what your USP will be, avoid making it the speed in which you can provide your product or service. It’ll count for nothing if the thing you’re providing isn’t of the highest quality. 

They Want Real People 

Self-checkout tills in supermarkets and other such things may suggest that people don’t want to interact with other humans, but that’s not the case. It’s not true when it comes to brick and mortar stores, and it’s especially untrue when it comes to online or over the telephone. People want to be able to chat with a real person, not an automated voice message or impersonal contact form. If you currently have a phone system that doesn’t feature real people, look at switching to a service like virtualheadquarters.com; you’ll soon notice that more people are staying on the line to leave a message. On your website, consider adding a ‘chat with us live’ feature. People will be more likely to ask a simple question on a chat (that might lead to a sale) than they would send an email. 

Small Gestures Mean Everything

You should never underestimate just how much people like getting things “for free”. It’s pure psychology; indeed, something switches on inside people’s brains when they receive something that they didn’t except. They’re more likely to reciprocate the gesture, which in business terms will mean they’ll be using your service - have a read at http://business.time.com/2013/06/24/5-ways-companies-win-by-giving-stuff-away/ to see how it works. You can include a freebie in a person’s order, or send them an email with a gesture of goodwill and nothing else. Be warned, though: the benefits of doing this will quickly be undone if you shout from the rooftops about your good gesture. Be cool, and stay quiet. 

They’re All Individuals 

All throughout society, people are treated like just another person, a cog in a machine. Even big companies used to treat them like this, but there’s been a big shift in recent years (check out any of your recent promotional emails, or Starbucks cup: they’ll all have your name there). People want to feel special, so make them feel special! Use their name, remember their birthday, and ask how they’re doing. It’s simple, but effective.

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