“An Educated Consumer is Our Best Customer”

i’m not saying you should teach consumers every last detail of your expertise. i’m asking that you be more generous with your knowledge. take the time to show what you know, how you can help, how to avoid a more serious problem than he/she already has, etc. sometimes, this will take the form of free tips for how to resolve problems without your intervention. i know, it may sound counter-intuitive, even a little crazy — but it’s all in how you view your time and expertise! you want consumers who know they have a problem, who have exhausted patchwork solutions or procrastination and who now know that it takes a real expert to save the day. you want consumers who place a high value on your time, talent and offering. a department store chain named syms once sloganed that “an educated consumer is our best customer” — and they are right. a good example of this is a recent “free pre-inspection kit” i provided for a home improvement contractor. featured are topic after helpful topic and many free tips. i even invite the consumer to inspect the problem for his/herself and provide a checklist to aid in the process. those who schedule an appointment behind this kit are educated and ready to fix their problem.