I hope your Thursday is starting off right.

Mine started off a bit slow….feeling a little groggy.

Probably because I was finishing up a new blog post that I think you are really going to like.

But I’m feeling a bit of a rush now. You see, yesterday I was at Barnes & Nobel and now today I find myself sitting inside of a Starbucks.

I don’t know about you, but I get a solid dose of caffeine as soon as I walk through the door.

It wakes me up.

Probably because I am not a coffee drinker, but it does bring back some good memories.

Late nights studying for an exam, meetings with other business owners, planning the next big thing…

Even though I don’t drink or even like coffee, Starbucks still has me as a customer.

Well why?

I never buy coffee, but at times, I do buy their tea, or a bottle of water, or just mooch off of their Wi-Fi (as I am doing right now).

But Starbucks knows this….

They know that sure they have coffee, but they are more than just a coffee business.

They are a networking business, a connecting business.

Think about it, why else would they leave big comfy couches and tables all over inside their stores?

Why would they let you steal their power by placing outlets all over for you to conveniently sit down and do work?

Why would they provide you with free wifi access?

Because they know their customer.

They know that from aside the coffee, people come to Starbucks do work, make things happen, and keep it moving.

So how did they get to that point?

Well, the Starbucks story has been well documented by many people way smarter than me.

Since the 90s, Starbucks has been known for three things:

• Atmosphere
• Continuity of the brand
• Employee satisfaction and training

And that is very different from what the customer does want.

Think about it.

You get asked two variations of the same question:

What makes you happy vs What makes you least happy

I am willing to put money on the fact that it will be way easier for you to answer the latter.

So what am I getting to?

My point is, start focusing on what your customers don’t want.

The best way to research your market is to survey them.

One question I always see on a survey is “How can we improve our service?”

Rather than asking that, ask “What about our service did you not enjoy?”

By focusing on what your customer does not want, you’ll gain insight into what they actually do want.

Insights like the ones that Starbucks used to become one of the largest and most powerful companies.

It’s what took them from a place where people go to buy coffee to a place where people go to experience coffee.

Learn what your customer doesn’t want. Look at the language they use to describe what it is they don’t want, then flip the script.

Incorporate that language into your marketing materials, your branding, and manifesto.

That will make your market realize that your business is exactly what they want – and need.

Alright, that’s it. Enjoy the rest of your day! Keep on keeping on!

-Oscar

P.S. Yesterday I published a blog “3 Secrets To Understanding Your Perfect Customer“. It relates to the topic covered in this email and if you are looking on how to research your market even though you may not have the time or the money, then It might be worth the read. Enjoy!