A client expressed his heartfelt belief today about what his Web customers are like–they care only about a deal. They seem to tune out any information except for a direct offer. He told me, to prove his point, that his Web site has nothing but sales information and his competitors take the exact same approach. Why, he lamented, don’t they care about our superior service and quality? I think I know why.
I’d like tell a story about a group of missionaries trying to discover the favorite food of the people they encountered. One group returned exclaiming, “It’s meat! They love meat!” Another came back and said, “Bread! It’s bread!” and so it went through several food groups, which is how things go when you test food preferences with starving people. Whatever you give them, it seems like the only thing they want.
Such is often the case with our Web sites, too. Your customers might be starving for information but you’ve never provided any, so you don’t think that’s what they want. You and your competitors have fed them a steady diet of catalog copy and sales pitches and so that’s what you think they want. In truth, you might never have tried anything else.
Or, you tried a couple of things that didn’t work and then you stopped. So, is the client right when he says that Web customers don’t care about superior quality and service? I have no idea. But what I do know is that no one cares about the flabby promises of “superior quality and service.”
What does that phrase mean? What is so all-fired superior about your service? Is it your no-hassle return policy? How does that work?
And why is your quality any higher than anyone else’s? Don’t you sell the same stuff as every other retailer? Or, as a manufacturer, how exactly are your products any better than anyone else’s?
I personally believe that to succeed on the Web you need to differentiate. There’s only one lowest price, and technology is making it easier and easier to find who has it. If it’s not you, then how do you compete? The answer is to offer something other than a commodity. If your site looks the same and smells the same as everyone else’s and you sell the same products as everyone else, then why should anyone do anything except take the lowest price?
But I have personally shopped at Amazon to buy the exact same thing I could have bought cheaper elsewhere. Why? Because I trust them to actually ship it when they say they will. Because it was less of a hassle to type in all my information. Because I didn’t have to stare the site down to know if I should trust them or to check their return policy. In short, I paid for convenience and piece of mind.
If you are a manufacturer, rather than a retailer, it’s even easier. You must be able to explain how your product or service is better than the competition’s. And do it with facts, not vague platitudes. What awards have you won? What customer testimonials can you show? Can you show objective evidence that your product is better? Don’t tell people, “The #1 in its field.” No one cares. Give them information that they can check for veracity.
I believe that, for most products, people are hungry for information. They really want you to explain it to them. They spend a lot of time on the Web looking for reasons why they should buy something and, especially, why they should buy from you. If you give them the rationale they need, you will sell to them, and for a higher price than if you just gave them your standard catalog spiel.
Think about how your catalog sells today. Some sales are made straight from the catalog, but many more are made only after a few questions to your telesales rep on the phone. If you answer those questions on your Web site (and more), how many more people will you persuade?
If all your competitors are offering straight product information on their sites, maybe you should zig when they zag. After all, you can’t differentiate by doing what everyone else does.
