Engaging With Customers Is Key

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7 years ago

I know that we have all done the training where Kyle talks about engagement and how important it is. But I wonder if we all know how really important it is to understand the people coming to your site. I'm going to tell you a bit of a story, not about affiliate marketing, but how I really knew that engaging with your customers was a key to success. Sitting comfortably?

Once upon a time... (sorry that was a previous story) - ahem

As a few of you might know I am also a photographer (I have just started a photo training affiliate marketing site too :-) ). Recently I have started using elements of the training here at WA for my photo business. One part is improving engagement. I have started talking with my clients a lot more. Before a shoot I chat with them and find out lots about them especially their hopes, dreams, what they are really looking for and how they feel about themselves. It's actually helping me to bring out more of their personality in their photoshoots.

So other side of the coin... The last couple of weeks I have been working with another photographer, who does portraits, as his makeup artist. Now I know that this photographer is having problems making sales. He gets lots of shoots and leads but he is not converting into sales. (i know as he owes me a bit of money). So we had a couple of shoots, the first a nice Indian couple and the second, a mother and daughter.

So after being in the MUA chair I knew where they all lived, what they did for a living, how long they'd been married, all about their children, hobbies and so on. Both sets of clients were chatting away. And then they go to be photographed... And for the first time I sat in on someone else's shoot (I like to pick up extra tips from watching other photographers work but usually when MUAing I stay in the other room).

And within 10 minutes all the rapport was lost. The only engagement between the photographer and the client was 'look at the camera', 'give me a big smile', 'think about the tropical holiday you are going on this year' (they weren't going on a tropical holiday by the way as they were job hunting.) And you could see how awkward the clients actually looked and there was zero personality happening. It was no longer a special fun experience but just having your photograph taken.

As the clients all left, I got a hug from the women by the way, I wished them luck with their job search, exams or whatever else I knew they were going to do in the next couple of months. The photographer just went 'bye' and went back to his computer screen.

So now I know why the actual sales are so low.

You can probably see where I am going with this. The same is true with affiliate marketing as you are selling but more importantly you are selling yourself as well. By engaging with people and giving them what they want and need (and knowing what they want and need), they come to trust you. And then they buy from you as you have spoken to them directly and from the heart. And those people will keep coming back time and time again.

This weekend really brought this home to me - it's funny how a part of the training can sometimes just click when you are doing something else.

So engagement is so key to getting and keeping your customers. And, you can actually use the training here at WA for more than affiliate marketing.

Whew I didnt realise this was so long - thanks for reading and good luck with your week.