The Most Important Question Biz Owners Can Ask

Whenever I have a chance to talk to small business owners, I challenge them to answer a simple but penetrating question: "What do you REALLY sell?"

Starbucks, for example,  doesn't really sell coffee, they sell how people feel when they lounge in their stores. Harley Davidson certainly doesn't sell motorcycles, they sell how you feel when you parade around town on one of their bikes. And Fedex doesn't sell shipping services, they sell the peace of mind of knowing your valuable package is safely on its way (and guaranteed to reach it's destination on time).

How do your products or services make your customers feel?

To further illustrate my point, I love what Apple just did with their announcement of the Beattles long-awaited arrival on iTunes.

Apple's home page a few days ago didn't have nary a picture of one of its products and instead featured a gorgeous, black and white photo of the young Beatles which can't help but trigger feelings of nostalgia and memories of youth, or innocence, or wide-eyed idealism.

And Apple's promotional videos feature some of The Beatles most memorable songs. The visuals show The Beatles collaborating and smiling - ostensibly focused on a labor of love. These ads are positively drenched with feeling and emotion, which apple leverages to connect to its brand.

It’s dynamite!

Apple clearly understands what it REALLY sells and it's not computers or smart phones. It's much more than that, and we all sense what that is.

So my challenge to you is to think about what YOU really sell.

Maybe you're not a business owner, or are technically NOT in a sales organization, but if you have co-workers, or speak to customers, (or have kids) you're in sales just the same. The question applies to you as well. We're all in sales, aren't we?

So think about the services you render for others and distill it right down to how your services make others feel. Think about the  emotional impact of your work because that's REALLY what you're selling and, hopefully, you're helping them feel like a million bucks!

If you passionately pour yourself into your work and you consistently connect with their hearts, you'll have customers who'll gladly pay a premium, and will follow you loyally for a very long time.