Some years ago, my family was on vacation with some friends. We were camping and we were told there was a great cave to explore nearby. My friend, Greg convinced me it would be a great activity for our kids. He seemed to know what he was talking about, so, on his advice, I decided to try it. So he took his two sons and I took my three children and we started into the cave. It did not take long for two things to happen: it became completely dark and it got very cramped. In fact, I could not stand up when we got to the middle of the cave. I had to walk in a sitting position with my back up against the stone wall and squeeze through a small opening. It was not my favorite place to be – not by a long shot! I had to keep telling myself to keep moving and we would find a way out. In a bit, we came to a much wider opening and soon we began seeing daylight.

In business, leaders, especially those who are in charge of keeping sales rolling in the door, often find themselves in a situation much like I did in the middle of that cave. They can’t see where they are going and the walls seem to be closing in on them. The best thing they think they can do is endure the hardship they are in and keep moving forward, hoping that things will get better. However, there is a better way of handling the task of keeping the sales funnel filled and it is all about marketing the right things to the right people.

I want you to think about what you sell and who is likely to buy it. Now let’s delve a bit deeper into the thinking process of those people. What do they need from you to say yes to an offer to buy your brand? The easy answer is a low price, but I want you to think beyond the price point. What kind of relationship do you need with a customer to get them to say yes? Is buying your brand simply a transactional relationship where they don’t really care who you are as long as they are getting a good deal, or do they have to feel valued by someone in your organization to say yes to a sale? If you need to build a relationship with the customer, exactly what are their expectations of the relationship? Some customers expect to be taken to dinner or some large event (like a football game or a concert) by their vendors. Others might not expect something so extravagant, but they may enjoy hot coffee and donuts dropped off at the front desk every so often. Others might want the inside track on a good deal that is limited to a few customers. Whatever it is, it is your job to get to know your customers so well that you understand what makes them tick.

But let’s look beyond all the incentives and gimmicks. What else does your customer want from you? In relational marketing, we like to put sales representatives and customers in the same place where the customer feels comfortable asking questions and getting advice. That could be at a lunch and learn meeting where questions are expected and you can focus on your brand as a solution. It could be at a tradeshow or a business webinar. When you know your customer well, you will discover that hidden door that opens up to their concerns and questions. You want your brand to be the solution that gets them out of their dark, cramped space. Marketing creates the hidden door. This is the space you want to find yourself, but you will never get there if your marketing is not geared to the specific needs of your clients.

I could have used that hidden door when I was in the middle of that cave. I would have paid money to have found it. Instead, I had to squat-walk my way through that dark, cramped place. I’ve never listened to any advice my friend Greg has given me since the cave experience.