


{"id":19399,"date":"2021-06-16T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/?p=19399"},"modified":"2023-12-14T19:15:10","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T19:15:10","slug":"understand-your-customer-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/understand-your-customer-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Superfan Series: Understand Your Customer Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This series is all about unlocking your brand\u2019s potential to create loyal superfans. In earlier segments, we learned what it means to be S.U.P.E.R. from our customer experience expert, Brittany Hodak. This segment focuses on the U in S.U.P.E.R.\u2014understanding your customer story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Superfans are created at the intersection of your story and your customer story. While it\u2019s tempting to lead with authority (how much we know), we often forget to lead with empathy (how much we care).&nbsp; Here\u2019s how to understand your customer story while simultaneously making them feel valued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Breaking Down The Customer Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, what does it mean to understand your customer&#8217;s story? Similar to the S.U.P.E.R. system, it\u2019s helpful to explore these ideas in an acronym. So here\u2019s how to unlock someone\u2019s S.T.O.R.Y. in a meaningful way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Struggles<\/strong>: What is your ideal customer struggling with? When you understand their perspective, you can adapt your story to meet their own situation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transformation<\/strong>: What\u2019s the transformation that your ideal customer is looking for? For example, if you\u2019re a real estate agent, you might be the perfect person to find your clients\u2019 dream house in a new city.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Options<\/strong>: You never want to assume you\u2019re going to land the deal without knowing who your competitors are. What are the options, and when are they a good fit for your ideal customer?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reservations:<\/strong> What might hold someone back from choosing you? Speak to and overcome any potential reservations <em>before <\/em>they take root in your customer\u2019s mind.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You:<\/strong> How can you help solve the problems listed above? At the end of the discovery process, accept that you might not be the right person. Be honest, give recommendations, and always build trust.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you discover that you\u2019re not your prospect\u2019s perfect match, this is still an opportunity for growth. By recommending an option that is a better fit and truly listening to their needs, you build a strong relationship. This customer might choose someone else, but now they\u2019re more likely to give you referrals or visit again in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Power of Active Listening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, how do you truly express empathy through each step of the S.T.O.R.Y. process? It comes down to the magic of active listening. When you listen actively, you truly hear what your audience is saying. You understand them more deeply, and you pave the way for a real connection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not familiar with active listening, this is a skill worth mastering. It\u2019s one of the most important tools for any professional to learn. It might sound simple, but it can completely transform your sales process. Here\u2019s how to actively listen:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ask a question: <\/strong>Always start with a question\u2014 this invites your prospect to share their concern or need.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Really listen:<\/strong> Listen to the answer and make sure they know you\u2019re focused by making eye contact, nodding, and giving them the space they need to speak.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Repeat: <\/strong>After they\u2019ve finished speaking, repeat what they said back to them in your own words.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confirm: <\/strong>Always confirm that you\u2019ve got a clear understanding. After repeating what they said in your own words, say something like \u201cDo I have that right?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Follow up: <\/strong>Lastly, follow up with a relevant question until you\u2019re done with the discovery process.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By the end of these steps, you\u2019ll have a strong understanding of what your prospect needs. Not only can you capture feedback from this experience, but you can also lead your entire business from this customer-focused direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Build From this Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve learned the potential of your customer\u2019s story, you have the opportunity to personalize and grow your customer experience. Though this segment might sound simple, don\u2019t underestimate the power of listening and being present. Your customers are human. That means they want to feel heard and understood. If you can do those things, you\u2019ll always build a real connection.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the next segment of the Superfan Series, we\u2019ll explore how to personalize and connect the experience to suit your customers\u2019 needs, both today and into the future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This series is all about unlocking your brand\u2019s potential to create loyal superfans. In earlier segments, we learned what it means to be S.U.P.E.R. from our customer experience expert, Brittany<\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/understand-your-customer-story\/\" class=\"exp-read-more exp-read-more-underlined\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19400,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"wpb-single-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[295,300,299,296,301,224,298],"solutions":[100,10],"industries":[2,3,4,5,6,7,8],"class_list":["post-19399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-boost-reputation","tag-customer-relationships","tag-customer-story","tag-grow-referrals","tag-grow-your-customer-experience","tag-increase-revenue","tag-superfan-series","solutions-brand-reputation","solutions-customer-experience","industries-automotive","industries-banking","industries-healthcare","industries-hospitality","industries-insurance","industries-mortgage","industries-real-estate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19399\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19399"},{"taxonomy":"solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solutions?post=19399"},{"taxonomy":"industries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/try.experience.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industries?post=19399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}