If you make custom products, you might look at the prospect of putting your products / services online with some trepidation. After all, it is the CUSTOM part of your business that makes you so unique.
The challenge is that buyers shopping habits have changed significantly. 95% of potential buyers start their search online. Given that they find three firms, they will choose the firm that provides the most compelling information about their products / services. 75% of buyers will only contact a firm that they feel has provided enough information / answered questions for them to move forward.
So let’s look at three objections custom manufacturers have:
I can’t put my custom products online because everything is custom
Consider how the potential buyer sees your product. They are looking for ideas and a representation of your product. You don’t have to show every possible configuration, but if you can show them a selection of what you can custom build, they can quickly determine what they like. Galleries with explanations of the products using product usage, materials used, time to build etc provide answers to commonly asked questions.
I can’t put my custom products online because the pricing varies
Pricing formulas can be put online. It just takes time to think of them within the customer lens. If you have pricing formulas that are consistent (and don’t include a fudge factor that only you know in each quote), CONFIGRR can help you turn those pricing formulas into interactive pricing models that your customers can use online. In the example of our Ultra Configurator, customers can choose sku, materials, dimensions, finishes, hardware positioning, flat packed or assembled – and can then add multiple items to their bill of materials – before placing their order. This is particularly ideal if you sell in a B2B environment where installers need to get quotes from you on a regular basis.
I can’t put my custom products online because the customer might not know the answers to the questions
This is very true, so there are two approaches.
- Number 1 – Educate the client on exactly what they are measuring, answering, determining. Provide detailed information with diagrams and videos so you get the exactly the right information from the client. This reduces the amount of time you have to spend explaining things to a client, and also speeds up the selling cycle.
- Number 2 – Use the CONFIGRR online pricing application as a guided selling tool with your client. Share your screen with your client as you are working through the selection of options. Your client will get to see pricing changes in real time. The real advantage – saved time for you. You won’t have to work up quotes after the fact, email them, and wait for a response. Potential clients will give you immediate feedback on whether they wish to move forward.
Customers are changing the way they browse, explore, research, and plan their purchases. Your custom manufacturing business can’t afford to let them go to the competition. Contact us – let’s discuss options that you can use to get as many customers buying your products as possible.