Why You Should Cater Your Business to the Average Person on the Street

Does your business cater to average shoppers or to your own idea of the ultimate customer?

Yes, there’s the potential to convert average people into paying customers and increase revenue. However, there are other benefits that you may not have thought of. If you provide a dynamite customer experience, free advertising is one of them. Social media is the new word-of-mouth, and average consumers are all over it. According to the Deloitte Consumer Review, 81 percent of consumers read reviews and ratings. One in 3 participate in online forums and comment on other people’s blogs. Seventy-seven percent of customers who have a positive experience tell someone about it and recommend the business. If you can endear yourself and your brand to average consumers, they’ll spread the good word for you. Not only that, but based on their feedback and suggestions, you can shape your brand to grow and become more profitable. Over time, you’ll build trust and solidify your reputation.

First, you have to know who they are. Getting a feel for that average person on the street goes much deeper than identifying age, income, education and other demographics. It’s about pinpointing their lifestyles and interests. It’s about getting inside their heads and finding out what makes them tick. It’s discovering their emotional triggers, listening when they vent their frustrations, and putting yourself in their place. “Just Do It” was never intended to be a reprimand to the Nike customer. Rather, it’s what the average Joe who doesn’t feel motivated to exercise will say to himself when he laces up a pair of Nikes. It’s relatable. Wieden may have thought of his co-workers, his neighbors or even himself when he suggested the slogan. Curiosity about ordinary people, an “everyman” mindset, so to speak, has yet another huge benefit: It will help you identify all sorts of things that are lacking in people’s lives so that you can provide them. Entrepreneurs thinking about the average person on the street came up with some of the world’s greatest inventions.

One demographic that no business owner should ignore is known as “household enthusiasts.” These are people who live with at least one other person. They do most of the banking, bill paying, budgeting and shopping, and they make the final decision on most purchases for their spouses, partners or children. As reported by Inc. in 2018, a RetailMeNot study found that household enthusiasts generate 15 percent more income than most consumers and spend about 50 percent more than millennials. They’re savvy shoppers who compare prices and are easily swayed by discounts and free shipping. They shop either online or in brick-and-mortar stores close to 10 times per month. The household enthusiast is definitely your friend.

The toys weren’t exactly flying off the shelves; the brothers were close to $1 million in the red when Marcus showed up. They admitted that the toys hadn’t been tested by consumers and that they carried them because they, the brothers, thought they were cool. Not only did they fail to listen to customer feedback, but they never even invited it. You can see where that got them.

Keep your eye on the prize: loyal, longtime customers. Don’t be so concerned about your own interests or return on investment. ROI is important, but the best ROI results from an investment in people. As Marcus puts it, “Businesses are based on relationships, and relationships are based on people.” This is about much more than making sure transactions go off without a hitch. Modern consumers want meaningful relationships with their favorite brands.

Another hindrance to building a loyal customer base is losing sight of brand identity. Business owners sometimes get bored with their own brands. They feel average and want to really stand out. They want to shake things up with a new product line or service that’s creative, controversial or edgy. That’s all well and good if the average consumer can relate, but most can’t and don’t especially want to. They just have a problem that needs solving or a desire for something to make their lives easier. Edgy might work if you want to launch a chain of art house genre theaters, but it will get you nowhere with people seeking a more convenient dry cleaner or pet groomer. Very few, if any, average people wish that someone would come up with more controversial customer service. You want to stand out, of course, but you want to stand out for merchandise that meets needs and provides value. You want to distinguish yourself by treating people well and providing an outstanding customer experience. If you’re already doing that, keep improving and expanding upon what you offer now. Don’t go crazy with all-new products and services until your customers express a need for them. If your brand becomes completely unfamiliar over time, you’ll alienate your biggest fans.

There were plenty of greeting cards, candles and knickknacks, but the average person on the street who went in for a dozen roses would be utterly confused. Marcus’ first order of business was to restore the original brand with the right merchandise — flowers. He shut the shop down for a week to declutter and redesign things so that customers could watch the florists arrange their orders. At the reopening, shoppers raved about the improvements. Sales shot up 30 percent over the previous week.The customers felt at home again.

More and more consumers are basing their loyalty on customer experience. Product and price still play key roles, but customer experience, or CX for short, is eclipsing them. According to the Econsultancy and Adobe 2020 Annual Digital Trends report, 36 percent of companies that considered themselves advanced in CX exceeded their previous year’s top business goal. Buyers are even willing to pay more for great CX, the survey found. If you’re not providing a consistent, engaging customer journey across all your touchpoints, you’re missing a golden opportunity to expand your customer base and increase your revenue. A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 15,000 average consumers was equally eye-opening. One in 3 customers will desert their favorite brands after a single bad experience. More than 90 percent take their business elsewhere after two or three negative incidents.

Nowadays, there’s no shortage of ways to communicate with average consumers. You can stay in touch the livelong day on social media if you’re so inclined. Email is still a powerful tool, and people still like being able to reach businesses by phone. In all your communications, especially ads, be clear, thorough and accurate. If you arm potential customers with good information, they can navigate the shopping journey independently and buy things. They won’t get frustrated by a lack of details and abandon their shopping carts. To do it right, you must know your product like the back of your hand. Throw in plenty of photos and how-to videos on your website, app and social media pages. Images are powerful communicators too.