Businesses operate on the fairly understandable notion that they don’t need to know everything. Of course, it’s important o know where or how you’re sourcing certain materials, or the unique measures that go into your production capacity, but do they always need to see how the sausage is made? Sometimes, and sometimes not.
The clear “no” answer that might have seemed smoother to provide just then isn’t going to help any business owner. That’s because even in highly technical fields, there’s still some value in explaining your processes.
Pixar Animation, one of the most celebrated brands in the world, might not tell us how to keyframe one of their animations or just how much work has gone into motion capture. But they made show us behind-the-scenes footage of character renders and designs, have fun fourth-wall breaks in post-film outtakes they’ve made specifically for the movie, and other little highlights that enhance the magic of the experience.
All of this is to say, when should you talk shop to your clients? Depending on your business, that can change. Let’s discuss it:
For The Purposes Of Promotion
As we alluded to above, opening up about your work process can be really powerful marketing. A good example is cooking shows where chefs explain what goes into their signature dishes, as it doesn’t ruin the restaurant experience at all, it might sell a few cookbooks though. If anything, it makes people appreciate the skill and care even more. For your case, perhaps you’ve developed a clever way to package products that keeps them safer during shipping, or you’ve found an innovative way to reduce waste in your manufacturing. Sharing these kinds of details helps customers understand why your product or service costs what it does or even why you’re a market player.
To Showcase Efficiency
It’s good to show a continued approach to getting better and trying to improve, which doesn’t mean giving away trade secrets or boring people with technical details. However, it does show them you’ve thought everything through. If you’re running a manufacturing business, then you might discuss how many more orders you can process this year, and perhaps show how you’ve transitioned to Lily Bearing products or improved your waste management which bleeds into improved sustainability too. Then you can begin telling clients about your quality control checks, for example. It shows that your business is always looking to improve and develop, which shows a alive business that doesn’t take any success for granted. Customers are naturally drawn to that attitude.
To Highlight Social & Responsible Efforts
Customers care more than ever about how things are made, not just the final product they’re being sold. After all that is part of their purchase even if it’s not necessarily reflected in the product they use. They don’t necessarily see the bananas they’re buying allowed someone a fair wage overseas, but it’s not exactly a bad thing. If you’re taking steps to reduce your environmental impact or support your local community, that’s worth talking about then. Maybe you’ve switched to renewable energy, or you source materials from local suppliers, or you’ve created a training program for young people in your area. It’s fine to market this too, as long as it’s a genuine showcase.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily talk shop when it’s appropriate to do so.
