Does Your Profile Description Repel Customers?
Photo by fieldsbh
This tip comes from a XStreetSL forum post I’ve read by Candace Morgwain. Hey, I’m allowed to point out other people’s tips that I’ve found useful right? =]
Using the following example as a common profile description used by many business owners in Second Life, Candace pointed out how easily simple points can come across negatively to the reader.
DON’T send IMs! They are CAPPED!
DON’T expect a refund! I won’t give it!
DON’T IM me with hello!!! Say something!! I DON’T have all day! My time is valuable!
While these are valid requests, we certainly can do better than stating them this way!
Aina Violet also shared some tips on the same form post as to how to rephrase the points while dropping the unwanted attitude.
“Never tell the customer what you cannot do, always tell them what you can do.” Therefore, the previous example would become:
Please feel free to send me a note card if you have issues. Some times my IM’s get capped. Please include a detailed description of your issue.
While I don’t necessarily agree with bending over backwards for every customer, I must admit that my own profile came across as a tad bit arrogant after reading this tip. Take a few minutes to re-examine your own profile description. Maybe there is still room for improvement.
Click this link to read the forum thread.
-Todd
From talking with successful content creators, a common theme seems to be the fact that most customers don’t really read those profile instructions, anyway!
In addition, I can see how it would be confusing for the common consumer; some merchants request IMs only, others notecards only. Given the fact that most people don’t bother to even read the most basic instructions, I’m not optimistic that they will bother to read support protocol. ;)
A badly worded profile not only can leave negative impression on potential customers, but also with other Merchants/Creators, and organizers of events who may want to extend invitations. As someone who blogs fashion, if I have a problem with an item, I try to contact the creator about it, before I blog it, however; if the profile is standoffish, I will chose not to blog it at all, rather than contact the person. I also know People who have been passed over, because their profile makes them appear difficult to work with… this is one first impression that attention needs to be paid to.
Your profile is also a psychological test to what kind of customers you want. There are personalities who love the cocky approach — like Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi! Some people respond better to formal tone, others like lots of ~*~ FANCY ~*~ formatting with stylish undertones.
But I’ll grandly generalize and observe that broadly, it helps to be nice, and that includes the majority of Residents I’ve bought from.
Also, harsh-but-often-true: if you have contact instructions clearly and politely spelled out and someone doesn’t (or persists in not) follow them, you may be in for a customer who doesn’t listen to you as you try to help them and they suck up an undue amount of your precious time. Creator-consumer relationships should work both ways and give back to each other — an exchange of L$ for a product that causes emotional enjoyment, a practical benefit, or other delight, with people on both sides agreeable and optimally, furthering this relationship for the long run.
Todd, your blog is one-of-a-kind for Second Life. I continue to enjoy your posts and how you connect first life biz sensibility with virtual world mores. ROCK ON.
I agree totally that a well written friendly profile makes a huge difference to how customers perceive you and your business. Although I have been in business for two years now in SL, I myself get very nervous contacting store owners or creators with brusque profiles.
My products (hats) are not the easiest to sell in SL since prim hair is my nemesis, and I truly believe that my profile has allowed customers to approach me. This in turn has helped me to build a loyal following who encourage me to continue not only by their kind words but also the monetary contributions.
Hey everyone, thanks for the comments. It’s nice to get an encouragement from an expert of friendliness and approachability. =]
If I recall correctly, the Soup Nazi was put out of business by an angry customer!
Darn that Kramer!
I would like to start out by saying the vast majority of my customers are absolutely brilliant, and I love them to bits, they are the reason I am here after all :) I love the time I can spend in my shop chatting with people and I never want to be unavailable, but a few bad seeds have had a bit of a negative impact on that.
My profile started out chatty and friendly and has gradually changed over the last 12 months as I’ve gained more customers, but also gotten more demands and unreasonable requests from people who expect all kinds of weird stuff, usually for nothing. The one that has really worked for me though is telling people what my hourly rate is for custom SL or RL work. I rarely get requests for free or cheap custom work anymore :)
Apart from that, requests from my customers have become a lot easier since I outsourced my CS and mail handling to a CSR, and asked in my profile for people requesting CS to remember they are dealing with people, and to be civil in their request.
I wish there were an easy way to get around the no-refund thing.On some things you just have to be firm.