Goodbye Information Age – Hello Conceptual Era!

“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.” ~ Les Brown

I’m probably not the first person who is going to break this astounding news to you, but I do want to make sure all you savvy business people are aware of the shift in business models that will definitely change the way you may doing business now.

By 2010, the days (and ways) of doing business via simply supplying your clients with the right information are going to be gone. No longer will cash registers ring from sales simply because ‘cheap’ is good enough. The new era of consumers are smart… and they’re going to make buying decisions based on what their ‘heart’ tells them versus what their ‘head’ used to dictate was right.

Don’t misunderstand me here and think I’m going all soft and gushy on you because I’m not. I’m simply telling you what this new era of business is going to look and feel like, with the emphasis on the ‘feel’ part.

I’m going to look at three new trends that are starting to emerge in the marketplace so you can start the necessary mind shift to steer your business in the right direction to be successful.

Here are my top 3 trends that will dictate the Conceptual Era:

1. Heart versus Head Spending. No longer will people choose the cheapest, easiest or fastest way to getting what they want. They’re going to want to conduct business with people who sell from a place of integrity. In short, the new consumer wants to be able to place 100% of their trust in YOU and your business. They want to know what your values are, how you operate your business, and what practices you have in place to ensure that your customer will leave your place of business feeling as if they’ve just made a ‘new’ best friend.

2. Right Brain versus Left Brain Business. Left brain selling is going to fade away like the dinosaurs. Appealing to people’s logical and mathematical senses in order to make a sale is going to disappear. The left brain or analytical part of your thinking is not going to make your final buying decisions. This shift in thought patterns will allow your right brain, (or emotions), to dictate your ultimate choice of whom you’ll conduct business with. Remember the old saying from the ‘60’s that went, “If it feels good, do it?” Well, that way of thinking is going to make a comeback in a BIG way.

3. Manipulating, High Pressure Tactics versus Selling with Integrity. The days of slick talking salespeople are coming to a close. The new consumer wants to be able to ask questions and get real answers, not hear huff and fluff about why Brand “X” is simply THE best thing since sliced bread. These new consumers are capable of doing their own research thank you very much, and they already know what they want before they set foot in your store. They’re not going to tolerate up-selling, cross-selling, or any kind of ‘hype’ selling as they view that as an insult to their intelligence, and rightfully so. They want to be treated as equals by you, the owner. They want you to acknowledge their requests, take their interests to heart, and provide them with the best possible solution to their buying excursion. In short, they want to ‘see’ your level of integrity and honesty. If you try to pull the proverbial wool over their eyes, they’re going to be on you like white on rice.

So, are you ready to serve this new breed of consumer, or are you still stuck in the ‘70s? Better get your interpersonal skills ramped up now or you’re going to miss hearing that lovely ‘cha-ching’ sound of your cash register!