As a business owner, you probably look at data from time to time – for instance, which cabinet lines are performing well and the typical sales cycle for closing a remodeling project. Owners and management can have lots of useful data at their fingertips based on past sales, but most don’t have data for non-customers (which would be extremely helpful information to have).
By segmenting the road blocks keeping non-customers from buying you can gain insight to help make them customers.
Selling to the Non-customer
In the Harvard Business Review, Alessandro Di Fiore, CEO of the European Centre for Strategic Innovation, says that focusing on non-customers is as important as focusing on existing customers. He says that understanding why non-customers don’t buy can lead to growth and innovation.
Di Fiore also says most reasons preventing non-customers from buying tend to fall into one of six categories. The three that are most relevant to our industry include:
Economic
Almost everyone can think of a change they’d like to make to their kitchen or bathroom, but some people just don’t have the access to cash or credit to afford it, and this prevents them from becoming your customer.
Adding a lower priced line of cabinets or offering a line of credit through your company might bring in more of these non-customers.
Educational
Many people don’t know the first thing about kitchen and bath design. They may not know what options are available to them and how beneficial a remodel can be. These non-customers are lacking the understanding of the products and services you offer, and that’s preventing them from buying.
Solve this problem by educating them. With a well-crafted blog you can use your experience in the industry to educate these non-customers and get them interested in purchasing.
Access
Some people know what they want – they just don’t have access to it. Maybe they’re interested in a cabinet brand that you carry, but they’re just too busy to stop by the showroom; or, they have an idea for a remodel, but they don’t know if it’s feasible. This could potentially keep these non-customers from becoming customers.
Providing a design tool on your website, a gallery on your website, or even an inspirational board on Pinterest or other social media sites, you sell could allow someone to access your offerings in their own time.
Segmenting your non-customers can be a very beneficial practice for your business. By knowing what keeps them from becoming a customer you can strategically address those barriers and open a new swath of potential customers.