The Value of Speaking Your Customer’s Language
A lot of companies get so wrapped up in their own product, they completely lose touch with the people they're selling to.
They'll talk endlessly about the technical details of the product in a weird internal jargon - definitely not the way their customers speak. This disconnect leads to lost sales by confusing the customer in a storm of information.
Let me explain this concept I think about a lot: Speaking your customer’s language.
More than a tactic, it's about truly understanding your customers, genuinely engaging with their problems, and showing them (in their words) how your product solves them. Then, making the sales process as easy as possible for them.
An example:
Imagine you own a t-shirt screen printing business.
You’re looking to upgrade your print machine, so you Google it. You click on the first result and this is what you find…
(Yes, this video is a parody.)
Any of that make sense?
Companies do this all the time. They become so obsessed with how they are solving the problem. They get used to speaking their own internal language, and ever so slowly they forget about the people they’re speaking to.
Now, let’s say you click on another company. The next one has a different approach. This company has taken the time to understand your problems, challenges, and worries t-shirt printers have.
This website doesn't bombard you with technical specs or industry buzzwords. Instead, it speaks directly to your needs:
"Prints up to 200 shirts per day."
"Compatible with your current ink cartridges."
"10x more ink-efficient — pays for itself in 3 years."
"Access to our backup warehouse for those unexpectedly large orders."
"Works seamlessly with a variety of design software."
"Trusted by customers: 2000+ 5-star reviews."
This approach is not just about the product; it’s about the customer. You see, marketing, just like sales, is a dialogue, not a monologue.
So which company would you call up? That's what it means to really know your customers - speaking directly to them, not just rambling about your product. That's the power of using their words, seeing things from their point of view.