You Don't Need To Be A Mindreader In Business, But You Do Need To Know This About Your Consumers

While that weekly column in your newspaper or the booth down at your local park might do a good job of convincing you otherwise, the vast majority of us aren’t mind readers. Worse, assuming otherwise can result in misunderstandings as we project our own expectations, and that’s never a good thing.

In business, especially, assuming that we know all about our consumers is a fatal mistake, and it isn’t even one that we need to make. After all, the now copious amounts of consumer data that every company has access to provides all of the answers we could need. Admittedly, putting that puzzle together does mean utilizing this data in the right way, preferably using techniques like the analysis and syncing possible with data integrations through reverse ETL tools or similar. However, once you’ve taken those steps, you can stop trying to read minds altogether, and still easily understand these crucial snippets about your audience base. 

# 1 - Where do they come from?

Every entrepreneur needs to understand where their consumers are coming from in both a literal and a more general sense. After all, the backgrounds and locations of our consumer bases, alone, can help us to understand the best ways to ensure relevant company appeal. Meanwhile, understanding where our consumers are coming from in terms of how they’re finding us can help us to tailor our services and marketing efforts. Data analytics are especially crucial in this sense, and should focus on things like incoming traffic, location-specific usage, and even consumer profiles (e.g. age, sex, etc.).

# 2 - What makes them tick?

Understanding the tastes of your audience base is the best way to ensure that you’re providing what they need. In some sense, understanding where your consumers come from is going to play a part here, but getting this right also means taking that base understanding further with things like dedicated questionnaires, and the data skills necessary to turn that information into actionable insights. Without a hint of guesswork, this will make it possible to perfect everything from the platforms on which you make your name, to the specific content that you’re using to get the most interest possible from your target audience.

# 3 - What’s their biggest turn-off?

Understanding what your consumers don’t like is often as crucial as understanding what they do. As such, as well as prioritizing more generic turnoffs like slow loading times, convoluted customer service, etc., it’s always worth asking consumers directly what you can do better, as well as keeping a close eye on things like complaints and negative mentions on social media. That way, as well as being able to rectify issues, you can easily and intuitively adapt your online presence, and your offerings in general, towards the happiest, most satisfied audience base that any company could hope for.

You don’t need to be a mind reader to give your audience your best. Simply make sure that you know these basics and that you’re always putting them to the best possible use.